# 3pi+ 32U4 OLED Control Board

**Type:** Product page · **SKU:** POLOLU-4973 · **Brand:** [Pololu](https://core-electronics.com.au/brands/pololu-australia)
**Page:** https://core-electronics.com.au/3pi-32u4-oled-control-board.html ([markdown](https://core-electronics.com.au/3pi-32u4-oled-control-board.html.md))

This is the control board for the 3pi+ 32U4 OLED robot, and it is included as part of the Standard Edition, Turtle Edition, and Hyper Edition 3pi+ 32U4...

## Pricing

- **Price:** $124.95 (inc GST) — $113.59 AUD, exc GST
- **Quantity discounts:** 5+ $109.05 (exc GST) · 10+ $105.64 (exc GST)

## Availability & dispatch

- Available with a lead time — expect dispatch between Sep 01 and Sep 04.

## Description

| [![](https://core-electronics.com.au/attachments/localcontent/0J11319_4468532490a.jpg)](https://core-electronics.com.au/attachments/localcontent/0J11319_81768b8d61d.jpg) |
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The 3pi+ 32U4 OLED Control Board is designed to be assembled with a [3pi+ Chassis Kit](https://core-electronics.com.au/3pi-chassis-kit-no-motors-or-electronics.html) and a pair of 6V [Micro Metal Gearmotors with extended motor shafts](https://core-electronics.com.au/category/141/micro-metal-gearmotors-with-extended-motor-shafts) to create a 3pi+ 32U4 OLED robot. This product is primarily intended as a replacement product for the 3pi+ 32U4 OLED robots and kits that already include it or for those who want to build a 3pi+ 32U4 OLED robot with different gearmotor versions than the ones offered with those complete kits and assembled robots.

This control board is already included as part of the following 3pi+ 32U4 OLED assembled robots and kits:

- [3pi+ 32U4 OLED Robot – Standard Edition (30:1 MP Motors), Assembled](https://core-electronics.com.au/3pi-32u4-oled-robot-standard-edition-30-1-mp-motors-assembled.html)
- [3pi+ 32U4 OLED Robot – Turtle Edition (75:1 LP Motors), Assembled](https://core-electronics.com.au/3pi-32u4-oled-robot-turtle-edition-75-1-lp-motors-assembled.html)
- [3pi+ 32U4 OLED Robot – Hyper Edition (15:1 HPCB Motors), Assembled](https://core-electronics.com.au/3pi-32u4-oled-robot-hyper-edition-15-1-hpcb-motors-assembled.html)
- [3pi+ 32U4 OLED Robot Kit with 30:1 MP Motors (Standard Edition Kit)](https://core-electronics.com.au/3pi-32u4-oled-robot-kit-with-30-1-mp-motors-standard-edition-kit.html)
- [3pi+ 32U4 OLED Robot Kit with 75:1 LP Motors (Turtle Edition Kit)](https://core-electronics.com.au/3pi-32u4-oled-robot-kit-with-75-1-lp-motors-turtle-edition-kit.html)
- [3pi+ 32U4 OLED Robot Kit with 15:1 HPCB Motors (Hyper Edition Kit)](https://core-electronics.com.au/3pi-32u4-oled-robot-kit-with-15-1-hpcb-motors-hyper-edition-kit.html)

This is the control board for the newer **3pi+ 32U4 OLED** Robot with a graphical OLED display. For the original version of the control board designed to work with an LCD, see the [3pi+ 32U4 Control Board](https://core-electronics.com.au/3pi-32u4-control-board.html).

**Included components**

| [![](https://core-electronics.com.au/attachments/localcontent/0J11317_52618d573c8.jpg)](https://core-electronics.com.au/attachments/localcontent/0J11317_41345ade15d.jpg) |
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The 3pi+ 32U4 OLED Control Board ships with all of its surface-mount components populated, and it includes the following through-hole parts and mounting hardware:

- one [buzzer](https://core-electronics.com.au/9mm-electromagnetic-buzzer-30o-3-7v-side-opening.html)
- jumper wires for soldering motors to the board
- two [magnetic encoder discs](https://core-electronics.com.au/magnetic-encoder-disc-for-micro-metal-gearmotors-12-cpr-bulk.html)
- one low-profile 1×7 male header for use with a [graphical OLED display](https://core-electronics.com.au/graphical-oled-display-128x64-1-3-white-spi.html) (not included)
- four single battery contacts
- four [3/16" #2-56 screws](https://core-electronics.com.au/machine-screw-2-56-3-16-length-phillips-25-pack.html), two [1/4" #2-56 standoffs](https://core-electronics.com.au/aluminum-standoff-1-4-length-2-56-thread-m-f-4-pack.html), and four [nuts](https://core-electronics.com.au/machine-hex-nut-2-56-25-pack.html) for mounting the board to a 3pi+ Chassis and an OLED display to the board

Please note that assembly (including soldering) is required; see the user’s guide for assembly instructions.

| [![](https://core-electronics.com.au/attachments/localcontent/0J11322_2948925125f.jpg)](https://core-electronics.com.au/attachments/localcontent/0J11322_878056b614e.jpg) |
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**What else you will need**

To build a robot with the 3pi+ 32U4 OLED Control Board, you will need a few additional parts:

- a [3pi+ Chassis Kit](https://core-electronics.com.au/3pi-chassis-kit-no-motors-or-electronics.html)
- two [Micro Metal Gearmotors with extended motor shafts](https://core-electronics.com.au/category/141/micro-metal-gearmotors-with-extended-motor-shafts) (6V MP or 6V HPCB versions recommended)
- four [AAA batteries](https://core-electronics.com.au/rechargeable-nimh-aaa-battery-1-2-v-900-mah-1-cell.html): the 3pi+ chassis and control board work with both alkaline and NiMH batteries, though Pololu recommend rechargeable NiMH cells
- a [USB A to Micro-B cable](https://core-electronics.com.au/thin-2mm-usb-cable-a-to-micro-b-6-ft-low-full-speed-only.html) to connect the robot to your computer for programming and debugging
- [tools](https://core-electronics.com.au/category/5/tools) to help with kit assembly; see the user’s guide for a list of specific tools

| [![](https://core-electronics.com.au/attachments/localcontent/0J11323_25010c84936.jpg)](https://core-electronics.com.au/attachments/localcontent/0J11323_6602791675d.jpg) |
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**Optional accessories**

You might also consider getting these for your 3pi+ 32U4 OLED robot:

- a [graphical OLED display](https://core-electronics.com.au/graphical-oled-display-128x64-1-3-white-spi.html)
- [more sensors](https://core-electronics.com.au/sensors.html)
- [connectors](https://core-electronics.com.au/connectors-sockets.html) (headers, jumper wires, etc) for adding those sensors or other peripherals to the 3pi+ 32U4 expansion ports

**3pi+ 32U4 versions**

The original version of the 3pi+ 32U4 includes an [8×2 character LCD](https://core-electronics.com.au/8x2-character-lcd-black-bezel-parallel-interface.html), while the newer **3pi+ 32U4 OLED** (which uses this control board) incorporates a [graphical OLED display](https://core-electronics.com.au/graphical-oled-display-128x64-1-3-white-spi.html) instead. The name “3pi+ 32U4” can generally be used to refer to both the original (LCD) and OLED versions, and the documentation in Pololu's updated user’s guide covers both versions.

Pololu's Arduino library for the 3pi+ 32U4 generally allows code written for the LCD version to work on the OLED version with minimal changes (and the reverse is also true as long as your code does not make use of the OLED’s graphical capabilities).

| \| [![](https://core-electronics.com.au/attachments/localcontent/0J11033_30963a9109e.jpg)](https://core-electronics.com.au/attachments/localcontent/0J11033_794879c7937.jpg) \| \|---\| \| 3pi+ 32U4 Robot, top view. \| | \| [![](https://core-electronics.com.au/attachments/localcontent/0J11322_344992dde0e.jpg)](https://core-electronics.com.au/attachments/localcontent/0J11322_878056b614e.jpg) \| \|---\|---\| \| 3pi+ 32U4 OLED Robot, top view. \| |
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**Comparison with the original 3pi**

The 3pi+ 32U4 OLED offers many major improvements over the [original 3pi](https://core-electronics.com.au/pololu-3pi-robot.html), including:

- ATmega32U4 microcontroller with Arduino-compatible bootloader can be programmed directly through a USB connection
- Quadrature encoders on both motors for closed-loop position and speed control
- Graphical OLED display
- Full 9-axis IMU (three-axis gyro, accelerometer, and compass)
- Bottom-loading battery holders keep batteries accessible even if additional levels are added
- Full wrap-around bumper to protect electronics from collisions
- Two bump sensors on the front

The 3pi+ 32U4 uses a different microcontroller with different pin mappings compared to the older 3pi, and some of the software library interfaces are different, so programs written for the original 3pi will not work on the 3pi+ 32U4 without modification.

**Dimensions**

 | Size: | 2.6" × 3.4" |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 20 g[1](https://core-electronics.com.au/#note1) |

**General specifications**

 | Processor: | ATmega32U4 @ 16 MHz |
|---|---|
| RAM size: | 2560 bytes |
| Program memory size: | 32 Kbytes[2](https://core-electronics.com.au/#note2) |
| Motor driver: | DRV8838 |
| Motor channels: | 2 |
| Minimum operating voltage: | 2.7 V |
| Maximum operating voltage: | 6.5 V |
| Continuous output current per channel: | 1.8 A |
| Logic voltage: | 5 V |
| Reverse voltage protection?: | Y |
| External programmer required?: | N |

**Identifying markings**

 | PCB dev codes: | 3pi03b |
|---|---|
| Other PCB markings: | 0J13485 |

**Notes:**

1Without included hardware.2Note that 4 KB of the MCU's 32 KB of flash memory is used by the pre-installed USB bootloader. All 32 KB is available when programming via the ISP header rather than the bootloader. **Documentation and other information**

- ![](https://core-electronics.com.au/attachments/localcontent/0J11323_552447e8ac.jpg)**Pololu 3pi+ 32U4 User’s Guide (Printable PDF)**
    
    User’s manual for the Pololu 3pi+ 32U4 robot.
 
**File downloads**

- **Pololu A-Star 32U4 drivers for Windows (version 1.3.0.0) (7k zip)**
    
    This download contains the Windows drivers for the A-Star 32U4 and the rest of Pololu's 32U4 family of boards.
- **Pinout and power distribution diagrams of the 3pi+ 32U4 OLED Control Board (1MB pdf)**
- **Schematic diagram of the 3pi+ 32U4 OLED Control Board (391k pdf)**
- **Dimension diagram of the 3pi+ 32U4 OLED Control Board (1MB pdf)**
- **Dimension diagram of the 3pi+ 32U4 OLED Robot (2MB pdf)**
- **3D model of the 3pi+ 32U4 OLED Control Board (30MB step)**
- **3D models of the 3pi+ 32U4 OLED Robot (19MB zip)**
    
    These models use a simplified model of the control electronics to reduce the file size. A more detailed model of the 3pi-plus-32u4-oled-control-board (30MB step) is available separately.
- **Front, top, and side views of the 3pi+ 32U4 OLED Robot (453k zip)**
    
    These DXF drawings make it possible to get various dimension measurements of the 3pi+ 32U4 OLED Robot.
- **Drill guide for the 3pi+ 32U4 OLED Control Board (216k dxf)**
    
    This DXF drawing shows the locations of all of the board’s holes.
 
**Recommended links**

- **[Pololu3piPlus32U4 Arduino library](https://github.com/pololu/pololu-3pi-plus-32u4-arduino-library)**
- **[Pololu3piPlus32U4 library documentation](https://pololu.github.io/pololu-3pi-plus-32u4-arduino-library/)**
- **[Arduino Software](https://www.arduino.cc/en/software/)**
    
    Arduino integrated development environment (IDE) software
- **[A-Star repository on GitHub](https://github.com/pololu/a-star)**
    
    This repository contains Arduino add-on files, Windows drivers, and bootloaders for the A-Star 328PB, A-Star 32U4, and the rest of Pololu's 32U4 family of boards.
- **[ATmega32U4 documentation](https://www.microchip.com/en-us/product/ATmega32u4)**
    
    Microchip’s product page for the ATmega32U4 AVR microcontroller, with links to its datasheet, application notes, and other resources.

## Images

- [Product image 1](https://core-electronics.com.au/media/catalog/product/i/m/image_1795.jpg)