EVN ALPHA (Assembled Kit)

Description

If you have 2 18650 Cells and a USB C Cable, this is the kit for you.

Start with some mechatronics projects using the LEGO® EV3 or NXT Motors and add to it your own peripherals over I2C, UART, etc. when you’re ready.

The EVN ALPHA

A Robot Controller we see as the Natural Evolution to the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® EV3 Intelligent Brick, the EVN ALPHA is equipped with the following:

An RP2040 MicroController Chip designed by Raspberry Pi
This dual-core 133MHz MCU is not only performant, but also already supported by a robust hardware, software, and learning ecosystem built by the Arduino, C/C++, MicroPython, and CircuitPython communities.

4 DC Motor + Encoder Channels
These channels are each rated for a high peak current draw of 4A (3A RMS). Terminated with LEGO® MINDSTORMS® EV3/NXT connectors in parallel with a Pololu-compatible connector, the EVN ALPHA provides plug-and-play familiarity and the potential to move beyond when you need it.

4 Servo Channels
Powered by a 5V rail capable of 3A (max) of total current, the EVN ALPHA doubles the number of actuators you can drive directly from the board compared to the EV3.

16 I2C Channels and 2 UART Channels
Most commonly used for sensors and other peripherals, we have multiplexed the 2 I2C Controllers on the RP2040 for a total of 16 Channels. With a 7-bit address space, you could, under the right conditions, use 2048 I2C peripherals with the EVN ALPHA without further multiplexing. Our point is, the 4-port constraint is a limitation of the past.

64 LEGO® Technic-compatible holes on 5 Sides
The EVN ALPHA enclosure features 64 holes on 5 sides of the controller, compared to the 32 holes on 3 sides of the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® EV3 and NXT controllers, making it much easier to mount the EVN ALPHA in your creation.

Over 50% Smaller Volumetrically
Our 2x form factor advantage doesn’t end there. Measuring just 104 x 56 x 40mm, the EVN ALPHA is closer in size to the SPIKE Prime Hub than the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® EV3 or NXT.

Powered by 2 18650 Lithium Ion Cells
No battery bulge and you could charge them with a generic 18650 charger if you really need to (looking at you, SPIKE PRIME).
By utilising standard, readily available, and affordable 18650 cells rather than a proprietary pack, we are providing our users with the freedom of choice without any compromise on performance.
Commercial 18650 cells peak at 3600mAh, packing over 75% more capacity than the EV3 Rechargeable DC Battery (2050mAh), promising much longer runtimes given the same load.

1 USB C Port
Use the cable you already have to program the EVN ALPHA, display information over a Serial Monitor, and charge the batteries in the EVN ALPHA. No more hunting for Mini USB Cables or DC Adaptors with strangely thin Barrel Jacks.

About EVN

Visit our Product Page to learn more!

Successfully funded on Kickstarter

Covered by CNX Software, Bricks Up, Hardwarelibre, and others

Availability

As we are fulfilling our Kickstarter orders in 2024, production capacity will be limited.
Do contact us directly via WhatsApp or Email to enquire.