User Manual

Pololu m3pi robot with mbed and XBee
modules socketed.
• An mbed. The m3pi was designed to work with
an mbed development board
[https://www.pololu.com/category/128/mbed-
microcontrollers] as the main robot controller, and
using an mbed allows you to get the most out of
your m3pi. This is an optional component,
however, as the m3pi can still function without an
mbed. The m3pi robot ships with the mbed socket
already installed.
We offer a combination deal [https://www.pololu.com/product/2153] that consists of an m3pi
robot and an mbed NXP LPC1768 development board.
• Wireless serial modules. The m3pi features sockets that can be used for a Pololu Wixel, an
XBee, or some other wireless serial module (e.g. Bluetooth):
◦ Two Wixels. You can use a pair of Wixels [https://www.pololu.com/product/1339] to add
wireless capability to your m3pi. The m3pi expansion board has space for a Wixel
socket, and the Wixel’s serial lines can be routed to a socketed mbed or directly to
the 3pi base with shorting blocks (in this latter configuration, the Wixel can actually
be used as the main robot controller of the m3pi instead of an mbed). Note that
installing a Wixel socket will prevent the use of the XBee socket, so the m3pi robot
ships with the Wixel socket headers included but not soldered in.
◦ Two XBees. You can also use a pair of XBees to add wireless capability to your
m3pi. The m3pi expansion board has space for an XBee socket (and the m3pi ships
with this socket already installed), and the XBee’s serial lines can be routed to a
socketed mbed or directly to the 3pi base with shorting blocks.
◦ Other wireless serial modules. The m3pi PCB has general-purpose space to add
other wireless serial modules (e.g. Bluetooth) instead of a Wixel or XBee. The pins
for this are connected to prototyping space that makes it easy to then make the
appropriate connections to your module’s power pins and serial lines.
• A Soldering iron and solder. A soldering iron is required for assembling the m3pi expansion
Pololu m3pi User’s Guide © 2001–2017 Pololu Corporation
1. Overview Page 7 of 39