National Instruments NI roboRIO User manual

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
1 Digital input and output (DIO) port
2 RS-232 port
3I
2C port
4CANport
5 Power connector
6USBDeviceport
7 USB Host retention mount
8 USB Host ports
9 Ethernet port
10 Serial peripheral interface bus (SPI) port
11 LEDs
12 Pulse-width modulation (PWM) port
13 myRIO Expansion Port (MXP)
14 MXP retention mount
15 User and Reset buttons
16 Analog input (AI) port
17 Relay port
18 Robot signal light (RSL) port
NI roboRIONI roboRIO
POWERPOWER
STATUSSTATUS
RADIORADIO
SPISPI
CS0CS0
CS1CS1
5V5V
CS2CS2
CS3CS3
SCLKSCLK
MOSIMOSI
INPUTINPUT
CANCAN
7-16 V7-16V
45W MAX45W MAX
L (GRN)L (GRN)
H (YEL)H (YEL)
I
2
C
SCLSCL
3.3V SDA3.3V SDA
RS-232RS-232
TXDTXD
RXDRXD
RSLRSL
MISOMISO
3.3V3.3V
COMMCOMM
MODEMODE
RSLRSL
RELAYRELAY
0 1
FWDFWD
5V5V
S
S
REVREV
2 3 0 1
133
33
2 3
32 1 0
79 8 6 5 4
4 5 6 7 8 9
0 1 23
ANALOG INANALOG IN
RESETRESET
ACCELEROMETERACCELEROMETER
PWMPWM
DIODIO
Y
ZX
USERUSER
S
5V5V
S
6V
6V
56 7 8
14
910
15
161718
12
1
2
3
4
13
11

2|ni.com |NI roboRIO User Manual
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

NI roboRIO User Manual |© National Instruments |3
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.

4|ni.com |NI roboRIO User Manual
Hardware Block Diagram
Figure 2 shows the arrangement and functions of NI roboRIO components.
Figure 2. NI roboRIO Hardware Block Diagram
CAN
Port
Xilinx Zynq-7020
Processor/FPGA
(LabVIEW RT)
USB
Device
Port
USB
Hosts
Port
10/100
Ethernet
Port
Status LED
Comm LED
Radio LED
Mode LED
RSL LED
Power LED
+3.3V
+5.0 V
16 16
2
4
UART
DIO
Analog Out
Analog In
myRIO
Expansion
Port (MXP)
User
Button
Reset
Button
PWM
Port
10
10
+6.0 V
PWM
SPI
SPI Port
+5.0 V
+3.3V
7
7 2
RS-232
RS-232
Port
2
I2C
I
2
C
Port
2
+3.3V
DIO
Port
DIO
10 10
+5.0 V
Watchdog
Nonvolantile
Memory
DDR3
Acceler-
ometer
RSL
RSL
Port
Relay
8
8
RELAY
Port
4
+5.0 V
AI
ANALOG IN
Port

NI roboRIO User Manual |© National Instruments |5
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
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.
1 Terminal Screws 2 Connector Screws
C
V
2
2
1

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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.

NI roboRIO User Manual |© National Instruments |7
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
Stage
Input Voltage
Range Behavior
16.3 V to 6.8 V The +6 V voltage rail starts to drop.
24.5 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
•I
2C
•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.
3Less 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.

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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
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.
AO0 AO1
AGND
DGND
UART.RX
DGND
UART.TX
DGND
DIO11 / PWM7
DGND
DIO12 / PWM8
DGND
DIO13/ PWM9
DGND
DGND
DIO14 / I2C SCL
DIO15 / I2C SDA
+5V
AI1
AI3
AI2
DIO1 / PWM1
DIO2 / PWM2 DIO3/ PWM3
DIO4 / SPICS
AI0
DIO0 / PWM0
DIO5 / SPI CLK
DIO6 / SPI MISO DIO7 / SPI MOSI
DIO8/ PWM4
DIO9 / PWM5 DIO10 / PWM6
+3.3V
34
33
32
31
30
29
28
27
26
25
24
23
22
21
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

NI roboRIO User Manual |© National Instruments |9
CAN Port
Figure 5 and Table 4 describe the CAN port pins and signals.
Figure 5. CAN Port Pinout
Note The NI roboRIO contains an internal 120 W termination resistor between
L (GRN) and H (YEL).
DIO <0..15> DGND Input or
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.
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.
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.
Table 3. MXP Signal Descriptions (Continued)
Signal Name Reference Direction Description
H (YEL)
L (GRN)

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I2C Port
Figure 6 and Table 5 describe the I2C port pins and signals.
Figure 6. I2C Port Pinout
RS-232 Port
Figure 7 and Table 6 describe the RS-232 port pins and signals.
Figure 7. RS-232 Serial Port Pinout
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
section for more information.
SDA Input or Output
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.
3.3V
SCL
SDA
RXD
TXD

NI roboRIO User Manual |© National Instruments |11
DIO Port
Figure 8 and Table 7 describe the DIO port pins and signals.
Figure 8. DIO Port Pinout
RSL Port
Figure 9 and Table 8 describe the RSL port pins and signals.
Figure 9. RSL Port Pinout
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.
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.
123567
48
09
S
5V
S

12 |ni.com |NI roboRIO User Manual
Relay Port
Figure 10 and Table 9 describe the Relay port pins and signals.
Figure 10. Relay Port Pinout
AI Port
Figure 11 and Table 10 describe the AI port pins and signals.
Figure 11. AI Port Pinout
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.
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
FWD
REV
30
S
5V
12 03

NI roboRIO User Manual |© National Instruments |13
PWM Port
Figure 12 and Table 11 describe the PWM port pins and signals.
Figure 12. PWM Port Pinout
SPI Port
Figure 13 and Table 12 describe the SPI port pins and signals.
Figure 13. SPI Port Pinout
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.
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
information.
SCLK Output
MOSI Output
MISO Input
GND —Reference for digital lines and +3.3 V and
+5.5 V power output.
876432
51
90
S
6V
SCLK
MOSI
MISO
3.3V
CS0
CS1
CS2
CS3
5V

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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
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.
MUX ADC
AI0
AI1
AI2
AI3
AI0
AI1
AI2
AI3
0–5 V
Expansion port
Integrated AI port

NI roboRIO User Manual |© National Instruments |15
Figure 15. NI roboRIO AO Circuitry
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 kΩpullup resistors to 3.3 V, as shown in Figure 16.
Figure 16. DIO Lines with 40 kΩPullup Resistors to 3.3 V
DIO <15..14> on the MXP and the two lines on the I2C port all have 2.2 kΩpullup resistors to
3.3 V, as shown in Figure 17.
Figure 17. DIO Lines with 2.2 kΩPullup Resistors to 3.3 V
<SCLK, MOSI, MISO> on the SPI port and the lines on the PWM and Relay ports all have
40 kΩpulldown resistors to ground, as shown in Figure 18.
Figure 18. DIO Lines with 40 kΩPulldown Resistors to Ground
DAC
DAC
0–5 V
AO0
AO1
Expansion port
40 kΩ
FPGA Bus Switch DIO/CS
+3.3V
2.2 kΩ
FPGA Bus Switch DIO/SCL/SDA
+3.3V
40 kΩ
FPGA Bus Switch DIO or Other Line

16 |ni.com |NI roboRIO User Manual
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 kΩpullup 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.

NI roboRIO User Manual |© National Instruments |17
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

18 |ni.com |NI roboRIO User Manual
• 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.
Yell o w Solid Brownout condition detected. The 6 V user rail and
outputs are disabled.

NI roboRIO User Manual |© National Instruments |19
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.
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 14. Status LED Indications
Number of Flashes
Every Few Seconds Indication
2The 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.
3The device is in safe mode.
4The 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
or solid
The device has detected an unrecoverable error. Contact National
Instruments.
Table 15. Radio LED Indications
Color State Indication
Off Off No connection detected.
Yell o w Blinking Booting as access point. Radio is enabled and access point
is being constructed.
Yell o w 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.

20 |ni.com |NI roboRIO User Manual
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.
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 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.
Yell o w Any Reserved.
Table 17. Mode LED Indications
Color State Indication
Off Off Outputs disabled.
Green Solid Outputs enabled. Autonomous mode.
Yell o w Solid Outputs enabled. TeleOperated mode.
Red Solid Outputs unknown, undetermined, or in test mode.