What is it?

A fully-assembled ready-to-run ROS2 robot car to learn Visual SLAM, localisation, mapping, and navigation powered by Realsense 3D-camera. It can be used as a reference design robot for a wide fields of applications.

Why did you make it?

I find out that except JetBot by Nvidia, there are not so many cheap x86 powered robots on the market. Either you have to buy expensive platform like iRobot Create, Husarion, TurtleBot or just has a risk to be stucked in a ROS1/ROS2 building tutorials mess.

I decided to provide developers a solution to learn x86 ROS-robotics easier. For Intel-based processors I found on the web an Intel Robotics SDK software. Literally, it is a set of debian packages that you need to install on your Ubuntu 22.04 system. Then you can access Intel-proprietary 3D-vision algorithms like CollabSLAM, ADBSCAN, and 3rd-party algorithms like KudanSLAM. I decided to give it a try, and that is how my new robot project got born.

What makes it special?

MIKRIK - is an open-source two-wheel drive robot for robotic enthusiasts who is studying robot vision using 3D-cameras. MIKRIK runs ROS1 on Raspberry to read encoder data, control motors, and creates a ROS1 interface. Then Raspberry can be accessed by ROS2 navigation node running on a LattePanda using ROS1-ROS1 bridge. Control software for Visual SLAM is based on Intel Robotics SDK.

Notes: *MIKRIK robot supports any control board you have at home. If you have Intel NUC or any other x86 Intel CPU NUC portable/laptop computer, then you can order robot version without LattePanda Delta 3 board. This way you only need to perform software setup of the control part following my how-to guide on Hackster. You can develop your application using ROS2 instance on Intel NUC, Intel powered x86 board like LattePanda, or Nvidia Jetson/Orin. Then connect it to a robot using a ROS-bridge over Ethernet cable. *

Project Documentation

You can read full project documentation, access source code and CAD-files on the Hackster project page

Included In The set

• x1 NEW MIKRIK V2 chassis made from shatterproof and flex plastic. On the product photos you can see MIKRIK V1 round chassis. Project is evolving fast, so I switched to the square chassis shape called MIKRIK V2 chassis.
• x2 L-shape DFRobot motors with encoders 160RPM 120:1. Encoder resolution is 1920 pulses.
• x1 Orange PI Zero 3 4GB. On the photos you can see Raspberry PI4, that is an old model of MIKRIK shipped till end of June 2024. For orders made from the 1st of July 2024 Raspberry PI4 4GB will be replaced by Orange PI Zero 3 4GB, it will not affect performance or productivity.
• x1 Cytron 3A motor driver. Due to Raspberry replacement, I also changed motor driver model. Now, instead of DFRobot HAT MotorDriver for Raspberry, I will include Cytron MDD3A motor driver one of the best in class motor drivers.
• x1 LattePanda Delta 3 x86 board based on Intel N5105 CPU.
• x1 3D-vision Intel Realsense camera D435i
• Ethernet cable

Not included in the set

• Powerbank 60W
• Li-Po battery 2S 5000mAh
• Li-Po battery charger
• PS4 Sony gamepad
• DC-DC power supply for LattePanda
• Type-C USB cable to power LattePanda
• HDMI-HDMI cable for LattePanda
• Micro HDMI-HDMI cable/adapter for Orange PI

Shipment and packaging

Robot is fully assembled and tested before shipment. I ensure that it can run all the commands described in the guide on Hackster project page To save on shipment costs, I take off wheels, camera, and rearrange LattePanda and Orange PI, so they all can fit into a 19x10x24cm or 7.5x4x9.5inch cardboard box. I guarantee that robot will stay functional after you reassemble it back. You are eligible for a text consultation so I can describe you how to put all elements back when it will arrive to your final destination.

MIKRIK Robot Video