USER MANUAL

NI roboRIO
RIO Device for Robotics

The NI roboRIO is a portable reconfigurable I/O (RIO) device that students can use to design
control, robotics, and mechatronics systems used in the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC).
This document contains pinouts, connectivity information, dimensions, and mounting
instructions for the NI roboRIO. The NI roboRIO provides the I/O shown in Figure 1 and
connects to a host computer over USB and 10/100 Ethernet.

Figure 1. NI roboRIO Features

5 6 7 8 9 10

INPUT
7-16V
45W MAX
CAN POWER
L (GRN)
4 H (YEL)
STATUS

3.3V SDA SPI RADIO

3 I2C 14 COMM
11
CS0
SCLK CS1
SCL
5V
MODE
MOSI
MISO CS2
2 RS-232 NI roboRIO 3.3V CS3 RSL
TXD
RXD

0
0

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
PWM
4
DIO

1 12
5
5

33 1

13
6
6

7
7

Y
8

Z
8

X
ACCELEROMETER
9
9

RSL RELAY ANALOG IN RESET USER

0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3
S
S FWD S 6V
5V REV
S 5V

18 17 16 15

1 Digital input and output (DIO) port 10 Serial peripheral interface bus (SPI) port
2 RS-232 port 11 LEDs
3 I2C port 12 Pulse-width modulation (PWM) port
4 CAN port 13 myRIO Expansion Port (MXP)
5 Power connector 14 MXP retention mount
6 USB Device port 15 User and Reset buttons
7 USB Host retention mount 16 Analog input (AI) port
8 USB Host ports 17 Relay port
9 Ethernet port 18 Robot signal light (RSL) port
Contents
Safety Information .................................................................................................................... 3
Electromagnetic Compatibility Guidelines...............................................................................3
Hardware Block Diagram ......................................................................................................... 4
Setting Up the NI roboRIO ....................................................................................................... 5
Wiring Power to the NI roboRIO ..................................................................................... 5
Powering On the NI roboRIO ........................................................................................... 5
Connecting the NI roboRIO to a Network........................................................................ 6
Preparing the NI roboRIO for Competition ...................................................................... 6
User Power........................................................................................................................ 6
Pinouts ...................................................................................................................................... 8
MXP.................................................................................................................................. 8
CAN Port .......................................................................................................................... 9
I2C Port ............................................................................................................................. 10
RS-232 Port....................................................................................................................... 10
DIO Port............................................................................................................................ 11
RSL Port ........................................................................................................................... 11
Relay Port ......................................................................................................................... 12
AI Port............................................................................................................................... 12
PWM Port ......................................................................................................................... 13
SPI Port ............................................................................................................................. 13
Signal Ground References ........................................................................................................ 14
Interfaces................................................................................................................................... 14
AI Channels ...................................................................................................................... 14
AO Channels..................................................................................................................... 14
DIO, PWM, and Relay Lines............................................................................................ 15
UART and RS-232 Lines.................................................................................................. 16
SPI Lines........................................................................................................................... 16
I2C Lines ........................................................................................................................... 16
USB Device Port............................................................................................................... 16
USB Host Port .................................................................................................................. 16
Accelerometer ........................................................................................................................... 17
Converting Raw Data Values to Voltage.................................................................................. 17
Front Panel Buttons .................................................................................................................. 17
Reset Button...................................................................................................................... 17
User Button ....................................................................................................................... 18
LED Indications ........................................................................................................................ 18
Power LED ....................................................................................................................... 18
Status LED........................................................................................................................ 19
Radio LED ........................................................................................................................ 19
Comm LED....................................................................................................................... 20
Mode LED ........................................................................................................................ 20
RSL (Safety) LED ............................................................................................................ 21
Physical Dimensions................................................................................................................. 22

2 | ni.com | NI roboRIO User Manual

Mounting the NI roboRIO ........................................................................................................ 25
Method One: Using Cable Ties to Secure One Edge of the
NI roboRIO to Perfboard............................................................................................... 25
Method Two: Using Cable Ties to Secure One Corner of the
NI roboRIO to Perfboard............................................................................................... 27
Method Three: Using Screws to Secure the Bottom of the
NI roboRIO to a Metal Plate ......................................................................................... 30
Compatible USB and Ethernet Cables...................................................................................... 30
Warranty ................................................................................................................................... 31
Worldwide Support and Services ............................................................................................. 31

Safety Information
Caution Do not operate the hardware in a manner not specified in the user
documentation. Misuse of the hardware can result in a hazard. You can compromise
the safety protection if the hardware is damaged in any way. If the hardware is
damaged, contact National Instruments for repair.

Clean the hardware with a soft, nonmetallic brush. Make sure that the hardware is completely
dry and free from contaminants before returning it to service.

Electromagnetic Compatibility Guidelines

This product was tested and complies with the regulatory requirements and limits for
electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) stated in the product specifications. These requirements
and limits provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the product is
operated in the intended operational electromagnetic environment.

This product is intended for use in industrial locations. However, harmful interference may
occur in some installations, when the product is connected to a peripheral device or test object,
or if the product is used in residential or commercial areas. To minimize interference with radio
and television reception and prevent unacceptable performance degradation, install and use this
product in strict accordance with the instructions in the product documentation.

Furthermore, any modifications to the product not expressly approved by National Instruments
could void your authority to operate it under your local regulatory rules.

Caution To ensure the specified EMC performance, the maximum length for DIO,
RS-232, I2C, CAN, SPI, PWM, AI, Relay, and RSL signal wires is 2.0 m (6.56 ft).
The maximum length for USB cables is 5.0 m (16.40 ft). The maximum length for
Ethernet cables is 30.0 m (98.43 ft). Refer to the Compatible USB and Ethernet
Cables section of this document for information about compatible USB and Ethernet
cables.

NI roboRIO User Manual | National Instruments | 3

Hardware Block Diagram
Figure 2 shows the arrangement and functions of NI roboRIO components.

Figure 2. NI roboRIO Hardware Block Diagram

SPI Port

7
USB USB 10/100
Device Hosts Ethernet +3.3 V +5.0 V
SPI
Port Port Port

2 7

Xilinx Zynq-7020
CAN
Port Power LED

+5.0 V Status LED

+3.3 V
Radio LED
UART

Comm LED
myRIO 16 16
Expansion DIO
Port (MXP)
Mode LED
2
Analog Out
RSL LED
4
Analog In Processor/FPGA
(LabVIEW RT) +6.0 V
PWM
10 10 Port
PWM
+3.3 V
I2C
Port 2
I2C
Watchdog

RS-232 2 Nonvolantile
RS-232
Port Memory

DDR3
+5.0 V
DIO
Port 10 10 Acceler-
ometer
DIO

AI Reset User
RSL Relay +5.0 V Button Button
8
4

RSL RELAY ANALOG IN

Port Port Port

4 | ni.com | NI roboRIO User Manual

Setting Up the NI roboRIO
Wiring Power to the NI roboRIO
The NI roboRIO requires an external power supply that meets the specifications in the Power
Requirements section of the NI roboRIO Specifications. The NI roboRIO filters and regulates
the supplied power and provides power for all of the I/O and user voltage. The NI roboRIO has
one layer of reverse-voltage protection. Complete the following steps to connect a power supply
to the chassis.
1. Ensure that the power supply is turned off.

Caution Do not install or remove the power connector from the front panel of the
NI roboRIO while power is applied.

2. Connect the positive lead of the power supply to the V terminal of the COMBICON power
connector shipped with the NI roboRIO, and tighten the terminal screw. Figure 3 shows the
terminal screws, which secure the wires in the screw terminals, and the connector screws,
which secure the power connector on the front panel.

Figure 3. NI roboRIO COMBICON Power Connector

1
V
C 2

1 Terminal Screws 2 Connector Screws

3. Connect the negative lead of the power supply to the C terminal of the power connector and
tighten the terminal screw.
4. Install the power connector on the front panel of the NI roboRIO and tighten the connector
screws.
5. Turn on the power supply.

Powering On the NI roboRIO

When you apply power, the NI roboRIO runs a power-on self test (POST). During the POST,
the Power and Status LEDs turn on. The Status LED turns off, indicating that the POST is
complete. If the LEDs do not behave in this way when the system powers on, refer to the LED
Indications section.

NI roboRIO User Manual | National Instruments | 5

Connecting the NI roboRIO to a Network
Connect the NI roboRIO to an Ethernet network using the Ethernet port. Use a standard
Category 5 (CAT-5) or better shielded, twisted-pair Ethernet cable to connect the NI roboRIO
to an Ethernet hub, router, or directly to a computer.

Caution To prevent data loss and to maintain the integrity of your Ethernet
installation, do not use a cable longer than 30 m.

The first time you power up the chassis, it attempts to initiate a DHCP network connection. If
the chassis is unable to initiate a DHCP connection, it connects to the network with a link-local
IP address with the form 169.254.x.x.

Preparing the NI roboRIO for Competition

For information about configuring the controller for competitive use, refer to the Tutorials tab
in the Getting Started window of LabVIEW for FRC.

User Power
Table 1 describes the user voltage rails for powering external sensors and peripherals. The rails
are independent from the power supplies of internal systems, such as the processor and memory.

Table 1. NI roboRIO Voltage Rails

Voltage Rail Description

+6 V Power from PWM ports for use with servos.

+5 V Power for DIO and AI ports for sensors, and power for the MXP for
powering expansion circuits.
+3.3 V Power for I2C, SPI, and the MXP.

6 | ni.com | NI roboRIO User Manual

Input Voltage Brownout Behavior
The NI roboRIO input voltage range is 7 V to 16 V. The input voltage monitoring circuit
monitors the voltage on the input voltage pin. When the input voltage drops to between 4.5 V
and 6.8 V, the NI roboRIO enters brownout mode with a staged response, as Table 2 describes.

Table 2. NI roboRIO Input Voltage Brownout Behavior

Input Voltage
Stage Range Behavior

1 6.3 V to 6.8 V The +6 V voltage rail starts to drop.

2 4.5 V to 6.3 V The NI roboRIO enters a brownout fault condition and the
following precautions are taken:
User voltage rails become disabled.
All PWM generation stops at the conclusion of the current
cycle.
GPIOs configured as outputs go to High-Z.
Relay control outputs are driven low.
CAN-based motor controllers become disabled.
The following systems continue to function normally with
valid data and communication:
FPGA, processor, RAM, disk, and user code
USB power and communication
Radio, if powered by USB
Ethernet
CAN
AI and AO
I2 C
SPI
RS-232 serial
LED and RSL status lights
Stage 2 continues until the input voltage rises to greater than
7.5 V or drops to less than 4.5 V.
3 Less than 4.5 V All controller functions cease and the controller state is lost.
This condition continues until the input voltage rises to greater
than 4.65 V, at which point the controller starts the normal
booting sequence. At startup, the controller remains in Stage 2
until the input voltage rises to greater than 7.5 V.

NI roboRIO User Manual | National Instruments | 7

Pinouts
The following describe the pins and signals on the NI roboRIO ports.

MXP
Figure 4 and Table 3 describe the MXP pins and signals. Note that some pins carry both primary
and secondary functions.

Figure 4. MXP Pinout

DIO7 / SPI MOSI

DIO6 / SPI MISO
DIO5 / SPI CLK
DIO10 / PWM6
DIO9 / PWM5
DIO8 / PWM4

DIO4 / SPICS
DIO3 / PWM3
DIO2 / PWM2
DIO1 / PWM1
DIO0 / PWM0
+3.3V

+5V
AI3
AI2
AI1
AI0
33 31 29 27 25 23 21 19 17 15 13 11 9 7 5 3 1
34 32 30 28 26 24 22 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2
DIO15 / I2C SDA

UART.TX

UART.RX
DIO14 / I2C SCL
DGND
DGND

DGND

DGND

DGND

DGND

DGND
AGND
AO1
AO0
DIO13 / PWM9

DIO12 / PWM8

DIO11 / PWM7

Table 3. MXP Signal Descriptions

Signal Name Reference Direction Description

+5V DGND Output +5 V power output.

AI <0..3> AGND Input 0 to 5 V, referenced, single-ended AI

channels. Refer to the AI Channels
section for more information.
AO <0..1> AGND Output 0 to 5 V referenced, single-ended AO.
Refer to the AO Channels section for
more information.
AGND Reference for AI and AO.

+3.3V DGND Output +3.3 V power output.

8 | ni.com | NI roboRIO User Manual

 Table 3. MXP Signal Descriptions (Continued)

Signal Name Reference Direction Description

DIO <0..15> DGND Input or General-purpose digital lines with

Output 3.3 V output, 3.3 V/5 V-compatible
input. Refer to the DIO, PWM, and
Relay Lines section for more
information.
UART.RX DGND Input UART receive input. UART lines are
electrically identical to DIO lines.
UART.TX DGND Output UART transmit output. UART lines are
electrically identical to DIO lines.

DGND Reference for digital signals, +5 V,

and +3.3 V.

CAN Port
Figure 5 and Table 4 describe the CAN port pins and signals.

Figure 5. CAN Port Pinout

L (GRN)
H (YEL)

Table 4. CAN Port Signal Descriptions

Signal Name Direction Description

L (GRN) Input/Output CAN bus differential low signal.

H (YEL) Input/Output CAN bus differential high signal.

Note The NI roboRIO contains an internal 120 W termination resistor between

L (GRN) and H (YEL).

NI roboRIO User Manual | National Instruments | 9

I2C Port
Figure 6 and Table 5 describe the I2C port pins and signals.

Figure 6. I2C Port Pinout

3.3V SDA

SCL

Table 5. I2C Port Signal Descriptions

Signal Name Direction Description

GND Reference for digital lines and +3.3 V power

output.

3.3V Output +3.3 V power output.

SCL Input or Output I2C lines with 3.3 V output, 3.3 V/

5 V-compatible input. Refer to the I2C Lines
SDA Input or Output section for more information.

RS-232 Port
Figure 7 and Table 6 describe the RS-232 port pins and signals.

Figure 7. RS-232 Serial Port Pinout

TXD
RXD

Table 6. RS-232 Serial Port Signal Descriptions

Signal Name Direction Description

TXD Output Serial transmit output with 5 V to 15 V signal

levels. Refer to the UART and RS-232 Lines
section for more information.
RXD Input Serial receive input with 15 V input voltage
range. Refer to the UART and RS-232 Lines
section for more information.
GND Reference for digital lines.

10 | ni.com | NI roboRIO User Manual

DIO Port
Figure 8 and Table 7 describe the DIO port pins and signals.

Figure 8. DIO Port Pinout

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

S
5V
Table 7. DIO Port Signal Descriptions

Signal Name Direction Description

S (DIO) <0..9> Input/Output General-purpose digital lines with 3.3 V output,

3.3 V/5 V-compatible input. Refer to the DIO,
PWM, and Relay Lines section for more
information.
5V Output +5 V power output.

GND Reference for digital lines and +5 V power

output.

RSL Port
Figure 9 and Table 8 describe the RSL port pins and signals.

Figure 9. RSL Port Pinout

Table 8. RSL Port Signal Descriptions

Signal Name Direction Description

S Output Switched power output to drive RSL when

RSLis enabled. The voltage level depends on the
connected input voltage. RSL current is limited
at 120 mA.
GND Reference for S.

NI roboRIO User Manual | National Instruments | 11

Relay Port
Figure 10 and Table 9 describe the Relay port pins and signals.

Figure 10. Relay Port Pinout

0 1 2 3
FWD
REV

Table 9. Relay Port Signal Descriptions

Signal Name Direction Description

FWD <0..3> Output Relay digital lines with 5 V output.

REV <0..3> Output Relay digital lines with 5 V output.

GND Reference for digital lines.

AI Port
Figure 11 and Table 10 describe the AI port pins and signals.

Figure 11. AI Port Pinout

0 1 2 3
S
5V

Table 10. AI Port Signal Descriptions

Signal Name Direction Description

S (AI) <0..3> Input 0 V to 5 V referenced, single-ended AI channels.

Refer to the AI Channels section for more
information.
5V Output +5 V power output.

GND Reference for AI and +5 V power.

12 | ni.com | NI roboRIO User Manual

PWM Port
Figure 12 and Table 11 describe the PWM port pins and signals.

Figure 12. PWM Port Pinout

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
S
6V

Table 11. PWM Port Signal Descriptions

Signal Name Direction Description

S (PWM) <0..9> Output PWM digital lines with 5 V output.

6V Output +6 V power output for servos only.

GND Reference for digital lines and +6 V power

output.

SPI Port
Figure 13 and Table 12 describe the SPI port pins and signals.

Figure 13. SPI Port Pinout

CS0
SCLK CS1
MOSI 5V
MISO CS2
3.3V CS3

Table 12. SPI Port Signal Descriptions

Signal Name Direction Description

3.3V Output +3.3 V power output.

5V Output +5 V power output.

CS <0..3> Output SPI with 3.3 V output, 3.3 V/5 V-compatible

input. Refer to the SPI Lines section for more
SCLK Output information.
MOSI Output

MISO Input

GND Reference for digital lines and +3.3 V and

+5.5 V power output.

NI roboRIO User Manual | National Instruments | 13

Signal Ground References
To minimize noise on analog measurement channels, use the ground reference of the
corresponding port. For example, when you are using AI, the measurement should reference the
GND of the AI port.

Interfaces
AI Channels
The NI roboRIO has AI channels on the MXP and on the AI port. The channels are multiplexed
to a single analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that samples all channels.

The MXP and the AI port each has four single-ended AI channels, AI0-AI3, which you can use
to measure 0-5 V signals.

Note For important information about improving measurement accuracy by

reducing noise, visit ni.com/info and enter the Info Code analogwiring.

Figure 14 shows the AI topology of the NI roboRIO.

Figure 14. NI roboRIO AI Circuitry

AI0
AI1
Expansion port
AI2
AI3

05 V MUX ADC
AI0
AI1
Integrated AI port
AI2
AI3

AO Channels
The NI roboRIO MXP has two AO channels, AO0 and AO1, which you can use to generate
signals of 0 V to 5 V. Each channel has a dedicated digital-to-analog converter (DAC), which
allows all AO channels to update simultaneously. The maximum update rate is specified as an
aggregate rate in the Analog Output section of the NI roboRIO Specifications.

Figure 15 shows the AO topology of the NI roboRIO.

14 | ni.com | NI roboRIO User Manual

 Figure 15. NI roboRIO AO Circuitry

DAC AO0 Expansion port

05 V
DAC AO1

DIO, PWM, and Relay Lines

The NI roboRIO provides the following DIO lines:
3.3 V general-purpose DIO lines on the MXP
3.3 V digital lines on the DIO, I2C, and SPI ports
5 V digital lines on the PWM and Relay ports.

DIO <9..0> on the DIO port, CS <3..0> on the SPI port, and DIO <13..0> on the MXP all have
40 k pullup resistors to 3.3 V, as shown in Figure 16.

Figure 16. DIO Lines with 40 k Pullup Resistors to 3.3 V

+3.3 V

40 k

FPGA Bus Switch DIO/CS

DIO <15..14> on the MXP and the two lines on the I2C port all have 2.2 k pullup resistors to
3.3 V, as shown in Figure 17.

Figure 17. DIO Lines with 2.2 k Pullup Resistors to 3.3 V

+3.3 V

2.2 k

FPGA Bus Switch DIO/SCL/SDA

<SCLK, MOSI, MISO> on the SPI port and the lines on the PWM and Relay ports all have
40 k pulldown resistors to ground, as shown in Figure 18.

Figure 18. DIO Lines with 40 k Pulldown Resistors to Ground

FPGA Bus Switch DIO or Other Line

40 k

NI roboRIO User Manual | National Instruments | 15

You can program all MXP DIO lines and on-board DIO lines individually as inputs or outputs.
Secondary digital functions include SPI, I2C, PWM, and quadrature encoder input. Refer to the
NI roboRIO software documentation for information about configuring the behavior of the DIO
lines.

When a DIO line is floating, it floats in the direction of the pull resistor. A DIO line may be
floating in any of the following conditions:
When the NI roboRIO device is starting up
When the line is configured as an input
When the NI roboRIO device is powering down

You can add a stronger resistor to a DIO line to cause it to float in the opposite direction.

UART and RS-232 Lines

The NI roboRIO has one UART connected to the UART lines on the MXP and one UART
connected to the RS-232 port.

The UART lines on the MXP are electrically identical to DIO lines 0 to 13 on the MXP. Like
those lines, UART.RX and UART.TX have 40 k pullup resistors to 3.3 V.

The RS-232 lines are compliant with TIA/EIA-232-F voltage levels.

SPI Lines
The SPI port can support up to four devices by using each of the four Chip Select (CS) lines.

I2C Lines
The I2C lines can be used to connect to a network of I2C slave devices..

USB Device Port

You can deploy and debug code by connecting a USB cable from the USB device port on the
NI roboRIO to a computer.

USB Host Port

The NI roboRIO USB host port supports the following devices:
Web cameras that conform to the USB Video Device Class (UVC) protocol.
Machine vision cameras that conform to the USB3 Vision standard and are backward
compatible with the USB 2.0 specification.
Basler ace USB3 cameras.
USB Flash drives.
USB-to-IDE adapters formatted with FAT16 and FAT32 file systems.

LabVIEW usually maps USB devices to the /U, /V, /W, or /X drive, starting with the /U drive
if it is available.

16 | ni.com | NI roboRIO User Manual

Accelerometer
The NI roboRIO contains a three-axis accelerometer, MMA8452Q. Refer to the Accelerometer
section of the NI roboRIO Specifications for the accelerometer sample rates.

Converting Raw Data Values to Voltage

You can use the following equations to convert raw data values to volts:

V = Raw Data Value * LSB Weight

LSB Weight = Nominal Range 2ADC Resolution

where Raw Data Value is the value returned by reading in the input channel,
LSB Weight is the value in volts of the increment between data values,
Nominal Range is the absolute value in volts of the full, peak-to-peak nominal range
of the channel,
and ADC Resolution is the resolution of the ADC in bits. (ADC Resolution = 12.)

For AI and AO channels on the MXP,

LSB Weight = 5 V 212 = 1.221 mV

Maximum reading = 4095 * 1.221 mV = 4.999 V

For the accelerometer,

LSB Weight = 16 g 212 = 3.906 mg

Maximum Positive Reading = +2047 * 3.906 mg = +7.996 g

Maximum Negative Reading = -2048 * 3.906 mg = -8.000 g

Front Panel Buttons

Reset Button
Pressing and releasing the Reset button restarts the processor and the FPGA.

Pressing and holding the Reset button until the status LED lights (about five seconds) and then
releasing the Reset button restarts the processor and the FPGA and forces the NI roboRIO into
safe mode. In safe mode, the NI roboRIO launches only the services necessary for updating
configuration and installing software.

When the NI roboRIO is in safe mode, you can communicate with it by using the serial lines on
the RS-232 serial port. You must configure your serial-port terminal program with the following
settings:
115,200 bits per second
Eight data bits

NI roboRIO User Manual | National Instruments | 17

 No parity
One stop bit
No flow control

User Button
The User Button produces a logic TRUE when depressed and a logic FALSE when not
depressed. The User Button is not debounced in hardware.

LED Indications
Power LED
The Power LED is a tri-color red/green/yellow LED that indicates specific conditions, as shown
in Table 13.

Table 13. Power LED Indications

Color State Indication

Off Off Power is outside valid input range.

Green Solid Power is valid with no fault condition.

Red Solid Fault condition detected. One or more user voltage rails are
in short-circuit or overcurrent condition.

Red Flashing The input voltage is too high (greater than 16 V) and all
outputs, including the RSL output, are disabled.
Yellow Solid Brownout condition detected. The 6 V user rail and
outputs are disabled.

18 | ni.com | NI roboRIO User Manual

Status LED
The Status LED is a single-color yellow LED. The Status LED is off during normal operation.
The NI roboRIO runs a power-on self test (POST) when you apply power to the device. During
the POST, the Power and Status LEDs turn on. When the Status LED turns off, the POST is
complete. The NI roboRIO indicates specific error conditions by flashing the Status LED a
certain number of times every few seconds, as shown in Table 14.

Table 14. Status LED Indications

Number of Flashes
Every Few Seconds Indication

2 The device has detected an error in its software. This usually

occurs when an attempt to upgrade the software is interrupted.
Reinstall software on the device.
3 The device is in safe mode.

4 The software has crashed twice without rebooting or cycling

power between crashes. This usually occurs when the device runs
out of memory. Review your RT VI and check the memory usage.
Modify the VI as necessary to solve the memory usage issue.
Continuously flashing The device has detected an unrecoverable error. Contact National
or solid Instruments.

Radio LED
The Radio LED is a tri-color red/green/yellow LED that indicates specific conditions for an
USB-connected radio, as shown in Table 15.

Table 15. Radio LED Indications

Color State Indication

Off Off No connection detected.

Yellow Blinking Booting as access point. Radio is enabled and access point
is being constructed.
Yellow Solid Access point active. Radio is enabled and in access point
mode.
Green Blinking Booting as bridge. Radio is enabled and bridging is in
progress.
Green Solid Bridge active. Radio is enabled and has bridge configured
with SSID settings.
Red Any Reserved.

NI roboRIO User Manual | National Instruments | 19

Other LED states may indicate other, undetermined radio issues or failures. This LED is
undefined if a USB radio is not used.

Comm LED
The Comm LED is a tri-color red/green/yellow LED that indicates robot communication
conditions, as shown in Table 16.

Table 16. Comm LED Indications

Color State Indication

Off Off No communication detected. No heartbeat detected.

Red Solid No code. The protocol indicates that no user code has been
loaded.
Red Blinking E-Stop. The protocol indicates that the driver station has
E-Stopped the robot.
Green Solid Active. The protocol is active and the driver station is in
control of the robot.

Yellow Any Reserved.

Mode LED
The Mode LED is a tri-color red/green/yellow LED that indicates the mode of the NI roboRIO
outputs, as shown in Table 17.

Table 17. Mode LED Indications

Color State Indication

Off Off Outputs disabled.

Green Solid Outputs enabled. Autonomous mode.

Yellow Solid Outputs enabled. TeleOperated mode.

Red Solid Outputs unknown, undetermined, or in test mode.

20 | ni.com | NI roboRIO User Manual

RSL (Safety) LED
The RSL LED is a single-color yellow LED that functions identically to the RSL, which is an
external indicator connected to the NI roboRIO using a dedicated connector, and indicates
specific conditions, as shown in Table 18.

Table 18. RSL LED Indications

Color State Indication

Off Off Outputs disabled. No power.

Yellow Solid Outputs disabled. Robot is powered.

Yellow Blinking Outputs enabled. Robot is powered.

NI roboRIO User Manual | National Instruments | 21

Physical Dimensions
Figures 19 through 22 describe the physical dimensions of the NI roboRIO enclosure and its
features.

Figure 19. NI roboRIO Dimensions, Primary Side

116.64 mm (4.592 in.)

29.58 mm (1.164 in.)

74.55 mm (2.935 in.)

94.67 mm (3.727 in.)

49.45 mm (1.947 in.)
8.44 mm (0.332 in.)
8.93 mm (0.352 in.)
9.71 mm (0.382 in.)

135.47 mm (5.333 in.)

INPUT
132.61 mm (5.221 in.) 7-16V 129.83 mm (5.111 in.)
45W MAX
130.72 mm (5.147 in.) CAN POWER 129.21 mm (5.087 in.)
L (GRN)
H (YEL)
STATUS 126.94 mm (4.998 in.)
123.43 mm (4.860 in.) 3.3V SDA SPI RADIO

110.96 mm (4.368 in.) I2C CS0 COMM

SCLK CS1
SCL MOSI 5V
MODE
MISO CS2
99.54 mm (3.919 in.) RS-232 NI roboRIO 3.3V CS3
RSL
TXD
RXD

88.10 mm (3.469 in.) 88.50 mm (3.484 in.)

0
0

80.48 mm (3.169 in.) 80.88 mm (3.184 in.)

1
1

72.86 mm (2.869 in.) 74.70 mm (2.941 in.)

2
2

65.24 mm (2.569 in.) 3 65.64 mm (2.584 in.)

3

57.62 mm (2.269 in.) 58.02 mm (2.284 in.)

4
PWM
4
DIO

50.00 mm (1.969 in.) 54.40 mm (1.984 in.)

5
5

33 1
42.78 mm (1.684 in.)
42.38 mm (1.669 in.)
6
6

42.58 mm (1.677 in.)

34.76 mm (1.369 in.) 35.16 mm (1.384 in.)
7
7

27.14 mm (1.069 in.) 27.54 mm (1.084 in.)

8

Z
8

X
ACCELEROMETER
19.52 mm (0.769 in.) 19.92 mm (0.784 in.)
9
9

RELAY ANALOG IN RESET USER

RSL 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3
S
8.42 mm (0.332 in.) 5V
S FWD S 6V

7.16 mm (0.282 in.)

S REV 5V
8.09 mm (0.319 in.)
0.0 mm (0 in.)
8.44 mm (0.332 in.)

22.26 mm (0.876 in.)

45.14 mm (1.777 in.)

52.76 mm (2.077 in.)
60.38 mm (2.377 in.)
68.00 mm (2.677 in.)
73.08 mm (2.877 in.)
78.15 mm (3.077 in.)
85.77 mm (3.377 in.)
93.39 mm (3.677 in.)
101.01 mm (3.977 in.)

117.85 mm (4.64 in.)

128.01 mm (5.040 in.)

137.72 mm (5.422 in.)
0.0 mm (0 in.)

22 | ni.com | NI roboRIO User Manual

 Figure 20. NI roboRIO Dimensions, Primary Side LEDs

143.68 (5.657 in.)

143.18 mm (5.637 in.)
INPUT
7-16V
45W MAX
CAN POWER 128.51 mm (5.059 in.)
L (GRN)
H (YEL)
STATUS 123.51 mm (4.862 in.)
3.3V SDA SPI RADIO 116.01 mm (4.567 in.)
I2C CS0 COMM 111.01 mm (4.370 in.)
SCLK CS1
SCL MOSI 5V
MODE 106.01 mm (4.173 in.)
MISO CS2
RS-232 NI roboRIO 3.3V CS3
RSL 98.51 mm (3.878 in.)
TXD
RXD

0
0

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
PWM
4
DIO

5
5

33 1

6
6

7
7

8
Z
8

X
ACCELEROMETER

9
9

RELAY ANALOG IN RESET USER

RSL 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3
S
S FWD S 6V
5V
S REV 5V

0.0 mm (0 in.)

146.15 mm (5.754 in.)

0.0 mm (0 in.)

NI roboRIO User Manual | National Instruments | 23

 Figure 21. NI roboRIO Dimensions, Secondary Side

142.31 mm (5.603 in.)

3.84 mm (0.151 in.)

4-40 Screw Insert

135.09 mm (5.319 in.)

122.39 mm (4.819 in.)

20.79 mm (0.819 in.)

8.09 mm (0.319 in.)

0.0 mm (0 in.)
22.28 mm (0.877 in.)
123.88 mm (4.877 in.)

0.0 mm (0 in.)

24 | ni.com | NI roboRIO User Manual

 Figure 22. NI roboRIO Dimensions, Side
34.43 mm (1.355 in.)
32.19 mm (1.267a in.)

20.91 mm (0.823 in.) 22.76 mm (0.896 in.)

6.03 mm (0.238 in.) 5.71 mm (0.225 in.)

0.0 mm (0 in.)

20.79 mm (0.819 in.)

0.0 mm (0 in.)

13.59 mm (0.535 in.)

122.39 mm (4.819 in.)

129.59 mm (5.102 in.)
Mounting the NI roboRIO
You can mount the NI roboRIO in the following ways:
Using cable ties to secure one edge of the NI roboRIO to perfboard with 6.35 mm (0.25 in.)
diameter holes on 12.7 mm (0.5 in.) straight centers, such as AndyMark part number
am-0836.
Using cable ties to secure one corner of the NI roboRIO to perfboard.
Using screws to secure the bottom of the NI roboRIO to a metal plate.

Method One: Using Cable Ties to Secure One Edge of

the NI roboRIO to Perfboard
Figures 23 through 26 show how to secure one edge of the NI roboRIO to perfboard.

Figure 23. Cable Ties, Method One, Step One

NI roboRIO User Manual | National Instruments | 25

 Figure 24. Cable Ties, Method One, Step Two

Figure 25. Cable Ties, Method One, Step Three

26 | ni.com | NI roboRIO User Manual

 Figure 26. Cable Ties, Method One, Step Four

Method Two: Using Cable Ties to Secure One Corner of

the NI roboRIO to Perfboard
Figures 27 through 31 show how to secure one corner of the NI roboRIO to perfboard.

Figure 27. Cable Ties, Method Two, Step One

NI roboRIO User Manual | National Instruments | 27

 Figure 28. Cable Ties, Method Two, Step Two

Figure 29. Cable Ties, Method Two, Step Three

28 | ni.com | NI roboRIO User Manual

Figure 30. Cable Ties, Method Two, Step Four

Figure 31. Cable Ties, Method Two, Step Five

NI roboRIO User Manual | National Instruments | 29

Method Three: Using Screws to Secure the Bottom of
the NI roboRIO to a Metal Plate
Figure 32 shows how to secure the bottom of the NI roboRIO to a metal plate using the built-in
4-40 screw holes. The length of the screws required depends on the thickness of the plate you
use. For example, if the plate is 4.76 mm (0.188 in.) thick, the recommended screw length is
7.94 mm (0.313 in.).

Figure 32. Mounting NI roboRIO Using Screws

1 Metal Mounting Plate 2 4-40 Screws x 4

Compatible USB and Ethernet Cables

Table 19 lists the USB and Ethernet cables available from NI that you can use with the
NI roboRIO.

Table 19. Compatible USB and Ethernet Cables Available from NI

Cable Description NI Part Number

USB cable USB 2.0 A/B, black, 2 m 192256A-01

Peripheral USB cable USB 2.0 A/A, locking, black, 2 m 152166A-01

Ethernet cable CAT-5E, thin profile, 2 m 151733A-01

30 | ni.com | NI roboRIO User Manual

Warranty
For customers other than private individual users in the EU: The NI roboRIO is warranted
against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of three years from the date of
shipment, as evidenced by receipts or other documentation. National Instruments will, at its
option, repair or replace equipment that proves to be defective during the warranty period. This
warranty includes parts and labor.

For private individual users in the EU: Based on your statutory rights, National Instruments
willthrough its distributorcure defects in materials and workmanship within two years from
delivery.

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The National Instruments website is your complete resource for technical support. At ni.com/
support you have access to everything from troubleshooting and application development
self-help resources to email and phone assistance from NI Application Engineers.

Visit ni.com/services for NI Factory Installation Services, repairs, extended warranty, and
other services.

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facilitates technical support and ensures that you receive important information updates from NI.

A Declaration of Conformity (DoC) is our claim of compliance with the Council of the European
Communities using the manufacturers declaration of conformity. This system affords the user
protection for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and product safety. You can obtain the DoC
for your product by visiting ni.com/certification. If your product supports calibration,
you can obtain the calibration certificate for your product at ni.com/calibration.

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Austin, Texas, 78759-3504. National Instruments also has offices located around the world. For
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Worldwide Offices section of ni.com/niglobal to access the branch office websites, which
provide up-to-date contact information, support phone numbers, email addresses, and current
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legal notices in the readme file for your NI product. Refer to the Export Compliance Information at ni.com/legal/export-compliance
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2014 National Instruments. All rights reserved.

374474A-01 Oct14