Team 116 Operator Interface Adapter Board

FIRST Robotics - Team 116 - Herndon High School

Designed May 2005 by Eric L. Carlson (Mentor), Team 116
Build and tested for the 2006 season by Team 116 students & mentors
Etched circuit board for 2007 and new 2008 board, by Mike Youmans and Chaz Armstrong
Updated: February 16, 2008

Back to Eric's InvisibleRobot.com - Back to Team 116 photos

These adapter boards make FIRST Robotics Operator Interface prototyping and wiring quick and simple.

The Operator Interface (OI) Adapter Boards connect to joystick ports on the FIRST Robotics OI, and allows for very quick and simple tool-less connection of switches, potentiometers (knobs, levers, etc.), and LED indicator lights. You can connect up to 4 adapter boards to the OI (one for each joystick port).

You can also connect a joystick to the adapter board, and selectively disable portions of the joystick so those inputs can be used by your added switches and potentiometers.

The adapter board also has momentary push-button switches for the 4 main switch inputs, for quick and easy testing. [The pictured LED's on the 4 main switch inputs had to be removed, because they caused loading problems on the analog voltage reference. LEDs can be connected to the LED ports as usual.]

You should also be familiar with the "2005 Reference Guide" document on the IFI Robotics web site's OI page.

Diagrams and Photos:

Two boards connected to OI and sample control panel:
Sample control panel contains 2 each: 3-way switch, 2-way switch, momentary pushbutton, potentiometer.
(Joysticks also connected, but out of view, though joysticks can still be connected directly to the OI.)

2007 & 2008 circuit boards:
For 2007, we designed a PC board, and had some etched.
We switched to a regular joystick connector for the joystick port.
We received samples of 3 other terminal block styles from the manufacturer, On-Shore Technology,
but for various reasons, we went with the same style, though in 8-position instead of 2-position.
NEW For 2008, we removed the pushbuttons.

Front of board (matches diagram below):

Board layout diagram:

Complete unit:

Front #2:

Back #1:

Back #2:

Back cover with supports. Built out of polycarb scraps, using epoxy designed for plastics:
(The supports are needed because the spring connectors require a lot of force to open.)