Roomba Serial Interface API

iRobot has released a manual documenting the Roomba Serial Control Interface, along with instructions on how to determine whether your Roomba has the serial interface and how to upgrade it if it doesn't.

Here is a Python code fragment that illustrates this method (Device Detect is connected to the PC’s RTS line via a level shifter):

ser = serial.Serial(0, baudrate=19200, timeout=0.1)

ser.open()

# wake up robot
ser.setRTS (0)
time.sleep (0.1)
ser.setRTS (1)
time.sleep (2)

# pulse device-detect three times
for i in range (3):
  ser.setRTS (0)
  time.sleep (0.25)
  ser.setRTS (1)
  time.sleep (0.25)

Looks cool, and speaks of a respectful attitude on iRobot's part.

Posted by jjwiseman at December 18, 2005 05:23 PM