The Pi2Go and lower-cost Pi2Go-Lite wheeled robots from UK-based 4tronix have proved popular, but there is still a gap in the market for a no-solder and even lower-cost option suitable for educational use. Enter the Agobo.
The details
Price: £30 / $46
Maker: 4tronix
Website: 4tronix.co.uk
This review can be found in The MagPi 34
Unlike the somewhat bulky kit-form Pi2Go design, the Agobo is a single circuit board which arrives with all the components pre-soldered. That’s not to say it’s ready-to-go: a small bearing assembly needs putting together and screwing to the front, which can be fiddly when the extended screws and spacers are required. You’re well advised to do this over a container that will catch the smaller ball bearings when the cover slips from your fingers.
Trickiest part
The bearing assembly is the trickiest part of the process by far, however. Once that’s fitted, there’s a single bolt to secure the battery holder in place, then four brass pillars to support the Pi itself. Unlike the Pi2Go, the Agobo is compatible exclusively with the Model A+ – a sensible design choice, given its battery-sipping power characteristics. This attaches upside down and connects to a female GPIO header on the Agobo board, and is then secured in place with four screws and an optional but attractive protective acrylic plate.
The Agobo is billed as a hackable robot, and it certainly is. The GPIO header is replicated at the front of the board for the addition of any extra hardware, and a separate I²C breakout makes the connection of sensors very simple if the on-board line-following sensors aren’t enough for your needs. An optional add-on dubbed the PlusPlate provides a large prototyping area, programmable RGB LED, and an nRF24L01-compatible socket for the addition of a radio module.
Despite its low price, the Agobo feels solid and robust. The thin wheels don’t offer the traction of its full-sized competitors, but the metal-geared N20 motors are surprisingly powerful for their size. The use of an off-the-shelf lipstick-style USB battery is clever, and it can run the device for a considerable time per charge, although the length of the cable and the need to leave it dangling from the back like a tail is somewhat disappointing. The downloadable Python code examples are clear and work well.
Last word
4/5
While parts of its assembly can be fiddly and it lacks the features of its more expensive competition, the Agobo is a perfect introduction to simple wheeled robotics for owners of the low-power Model A+.
