The robotics controller EVN Alpha is an evolution of the well-known LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 building set. It works with the Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller and is smaller than the original LEGO one. It can be powered by two generic 18650 lithium-ion batteries instead of a proprietary solution, making it easy for the user to choose what they want.
The EVN Alpha, created as a “base camp for students who want to get serious about robotics”, is a modular platform. Components can be gradually replaced with student-created solutions until you no longer need the driver. Therefore, the limit again is your imagination. What's more, the Alpha can connect to a range of “Standard Peripherals” to expand its IoT functionality. These peripherals include sensor, communication, display and actuation modules compatible with the EVN ALPHA.
It should also be added that the EVN Alpha will be compatible with a library that seeks to match the usability and performance of the official EV3 MicroPython library. Upon request, you will be sent with guides and resources to help users get started and move forward quickly.
Currently the project is under crowdfounding, and it is estimated that the first delivery will be made by August 2024. Financing began on December 22, 2023, and will end on February 20, 2024, in just a few days. The goal is to reach more than $6000. As for prices, the standard peripherals are for $14, the Hacker Kit for $36, the DIY Kit with which you can customize and build your own EVN Alpha for $58, the EVN Alpha kit already assembled for $81 and the Complete kit with 22 standard peripherals for $215 (batteries not included).
More information - Official site on Kickstarter
EVN Alpha technical specifications
As for the EVN Alpha technical specifications, we have:
- MCU or microcontroller: Raspberry Pi RP2040 with 2 Cortex M0+ cores @ 133 Mhz and 254 KB of SRAM memory
- Outdated:
- Motor and encoder: 4x motor ports compatible with LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 and NXT motors, with continuous 4A and 3A peaks
- Servo: 4x regulated motor ports with 5V
- I/O: 16x I2C, 2x UART
- USB: 1x USB-C for battery charging, code loading for the microcontroller and debugging
- Food: 2-cell Li-Ion battery, with integrated charger
- Others: On/Off button, Reset, boot selection, a programmable button and an LED.
- Dimensions: 104x56x40mm