Help With Iqbot Wiring Colors

hi dave

thats correct . i disconnected all boards and use only the one from the eyes . i think its a wire problem . they are very thin . some times they lid up but , most of the time they dont . thanks for the link .

Also found this farther down in the article:

Quote:

The robot is powered by eight batteries contained within the pouch.

These are divided into two groups. One consists of three 1.2V NiMH rechargeable batteries to provide 3.6V to power the logic circuits, and a group of five 1.2V NiMH rechargeable batteries to provide 6V to power the motors, both with a capacity of 2400 mA/h.

Have fun!

Great sleuthing - that Italian article is very useful. It matches what you’ve observed: the IQBot uses two separate battery groups (3 cells 3.6 V for logic/LEDs and 5 cells 6 V for motors), and the eye board appears to have grouped LEDs with individual limiting resistors (Rxx markings). That strongly suggests the eye/LED board is designed to be powered from the low-voltage logic pack (3.6 V) rather than the full 8×AA (12 V).

Below I’ll give a safe, prioritized troubleshooting and repair plan so you can reliably light the LEDs and fix the intermittent thin-wire problem.

Summary (what we believe)

• The board labels LGx / LRx / LYx are LED group IDs (Left Green, Left Red, Left Yellow, etc.).
• R81, R91 etc. are on-board resistors, so the board likely expects the logic battery rail (3.6 V NiMH) or a nearby low-voltage supply.
• Intermittent lighting = likely wiring problem (very thin wires, cracked insulation, cold solder joint) or broken connectors/traces.

Safety first

• Don’t apply 12 V to the LED board until you confirm where the LEDs are fed from (you may damage them).
• Use a bench power supply with current limiting (start ~20-50 mA) for live tests.
• If you don’t have a bench supply, use the 3×AA/NiMH pack (3.6 V) if available - but still measure and confirm polarity before connecting.

Step-by-step troubleshooting & repair

1. Identify the board’s power pins (no power applied)

• With batteries removed, use continuity mode to find which connector pins go to the LED group pads (LG1 / LG3 / LY1 / LR2).
• Also check which connector pins connect to the resistors (R81, R91). Report which connector pin maps to which groups.

2. Diode/forward-voltage check (no power)

• Put your meter in diode mode. Probe across one LED in each coloured group (or across the group feed if access to pads is easier).
• Record the displayed forward voltage (example: red 1.6-2.2 V, green 2.0-3.2 V, white/blue 2.9-3.6 V). Post your readings.
• If a group reads a sum near 3.6 V or higher (e.g., ~9 V), it’s a series string; if it reads ~2-3 V, it’s likely a single LED per channel (with resistor).

3. Visual & resistance inspection of Rxx resistors

• Look at R81/R91 physically. Are they in series with the LED groups or only near a connector? If readable, paste any SMD resistor codes or measure resistance with meter (in-circuit may be affected by other paths).
• If you find resistors in series with each color-group, that means the board was designed to work from the logic battery rail (likely ~3.6 V).

4. Bench-power soft test (only after #1-#3)

• With a bench PSU set to 0 V and current limit to 20-50 mA, connect ground and the suspected logic V+ to the board.
• Slowly raise voltage from 0 3 V 3.6 V while watching LED and current. Stop if current spikes or anything heats.
• If LEDs light at ~3-4 V with modest current, the board uses the 3.6 V logic rail. If they only light near 6-12 V, they’re intended for a higher rail (less likely given Rxx markings and the Italian write-up).
• Report the voltage where LEDs light and the current draw.

5. Fix the thin/intermittent wires

• Likely cause: broken thin wire or poor solder joint.
• Re-solder each suspect wire at both ends using fresh solder and proper flux. If wire insulation is cracked, strip back and re-solder.
• Replace thin wires with thicker, tinned wire (22-26 AWG for LED groups; use heavier for motors). Add heat-shrink tubing and a strain-relief so the wires don’t flex at the solder joint.
• If the connector pins are fragile or corroded, consider replacing the connector (or add a mating connector) so you don’t stress the board pads.

6. If you want to run LEDs from ARC / EZ-B

• Don’t drive high-current LED groups directly from EZ-B digital pins. Use a low-side MOSFET or an NPN transistor for each LED group if current > a few mA.
• If board current per channel is very small (a few mA) you can use EZ-B PWM digital pins, but verify current first.
• Example ARC JavaScript to set PWM (assume you use EZ-B PWM pin d4):

// Set PWM on EZ-B D4 to 50% duty cycle (range 0-100)
PWM.set(d4, 50);
print("Set D4 PWM to 50%");

• For on/off control via MOSFET low-side switching:
  • MOSFET drain LED group negative
  • MOSFET source ground
  • MOSFET gate EZ-B digital/PWM pin (with 100k pull-down and 220-470 ohm series gate resistor)
  • LED group positive the 3.6 V logic supply

7. If you want to power the whole robot from bench supplies

• The site translation suggests two rails:
  • Logic/LEDs: 3 × 1.2 V NiMH 3.6 V
  • Motors: 5 × 1.2 V NiMH 6.0 V
• If you replace batteries with bench supplies, maintain common ground between logic and motor supplies.

What I recommend you do now (order of actions)

1. Tell me whether you have a multimeter and a bench supply.
2. Run steps #1 and #2 (continuity mapping and diode-mode readings) and paste the results (connector pin mapping and Vf readings).
3. If comfortable, do the bench-power soft test in step #4 and report the voltage the LEDs turn on and the current draw.
4. If you want, I can give explicit MOSFET wiring + parts list to control the LED groups from EZ-B safely.

Extra repair tips for the thin wires

• If wires are broken internally (intermittent), cut them out and re-run fresh wires of a larger gauge. Secure with hot-glue or cable-tie for strain relief.
• If pad traces are cracked near the connector, scrape and re-tin the trace and add a small blob of epoxy to secure the joint after solder repair.

Helpful links

• Dual H-Bridge w/PWM Movement Panel (if later you want to control motors with ARC): https://synthiam.com/Support/Skills/Movement-Panels/Dual-HBridge-w-PWM?id=16067
• Dual H-Bridge (no PWM): https://synthiam.com/Support/Skills/Movement-Panels/Dual-HBridge?id=16121
• The Italian write-up you and Dave found: https://win.adrirobot.it/id_01/moduli/occhi/occhi.htm (use Google Translate if needed)

Follow-up questions for you

• Do you have a multimeter and bench power supply? Which models?
• Can you paste the continuity/diode meter readings you can get from the board (connector pin LG1/LG3/LY1/LR2 and Vf values)?
• Are the thin wires attached to the eye board the ones you plan to reuse? Would you like step-by-step guidance to replace them?

If you post your meter readings I’ll map each pin and tell you exactly which rail to safely connect, what wire gauge to use, and provide the MOSFET switch diagram and ARC script to control the eye LEDs.

ho roboteers

i got a link from a friend and it seems i-droid is still alive today .

https://www.instructables.com/I-Droid-01-Is-Not-Dead-Yet-AKA-I-Qbot-01/

Nice find - that Instructables write-up is a great community resource and confirms the IQBot / I-Droid info you and Dave discovered. Good news: it supports the 3.6 V logic rail for the eye board and the separate motor pack theory, so you’re on the right track.

If you want, I can help you take the next steps. Below I’ve summarized practical, safe actions and options depending on what you want to do next (repair, verify voltages, or control the eyes from ARC).

What I can help with (pick one)

• Guide you stepbystep to diagnose the eye board (multimeter continuity and diode tests) and report readings.
• Walk you through a safe bench-power test (current-limited PSU) so we confirm the required voltage and current.
• Provide wiring / soldering repair tips and recommended wire gauge to fix the intermittent thin wires.
• Show how to control the LED groups from ARC (MOSFET switch circuit + JavaScript example using PWM.set()).

Quick recommended plan (safe, prioritized)

1. Do you have a multimeter and/or bench power supply? Tell me model(s).
2. Continuity mapping (multimeter): identify which connector pins feed LG1/LG3/LY1/LR2 and which pins go to R81/R91. This shows where V+ and GND are.
3. Diode test (multimeter): measure forward voltage (Vf) on one LED in each color group (diode mode). Report Vf values.
4. Bench-power soft test (only after #2/#3): PSU current limit = 50-100 mA. Slowly raise voltage from 0 to 4 V (then 6 V if nothing) while watching LED behavior and current. Report the voltage where LEDs light and the current draw.
5. Repair the thin wires: replace with fresh tinned stranded wire (recommended 22-26 AWG for LED wiring; 18-20 AWG for motors), reflow solder joints with flux, add heatshrink and strain relief. If connector pins or PCB pads are cracked, I’ll give rework steps.

Safety & expected numbers

• The Italian writeup suggests a 3-cell NiMH logic rail 3.6 V (NiMH nominal 1.2 V/cell). So the eye board most likely expects ~3.6 V, not 12 V.
• Use a current-limited bench PSU for bench tests. Start with 50 mA limit to avoid damaging anything.
• If individual LED Vf readings are ~1.8-2.2 V (red) or ~2.8-3.2 V (green/white), and resistors (Rxx) are present, the board probably expects the 3.6 V logic rail and will be safe when powered by it. If you measure series sums around ~6-9 V, the board may be using series strings and needs a higher rail - tell me the readings.

If you want to drive the eye LED groups from ARC / an EZB

• Don’t connect LED current through EZB pins. Use lowside MOSFET switching. Recommended parts:
  • Logiclevel Nchannel MOSFET (good, widely available choices: IRLB8721, IRLZ44N, or similar logiclevel part).
  • Gate series resistor 220 , gate pulldown 100 k.
• Basic wiring (lowside switch): LED group + board Vlogic (+3.6 V) ; LED group MOSFET DRAIN ; MOSFET SOURCE common GND ; MOSFET GATE EZB PWM pin (via 220 ). Put 100 k from gate to ground.
• Example ARC JavaScript to set PWM (use print() per ARC guidance):

// Set PWM on EZ-B digital port d4 to 50% duty cycle (0-100%)
PWM.set(d4, 50);
print("Set D4 PWM to 50%");

Tell me what you want to do next

• If you want to run tests now, tell me whether you have a multimeter and/or bench PSU and I’ll give a stepbystep list to perform (including exactly which pins to probe and how to record values).
• If you want solder/repair guidance, tell me what tools you have (soldering iron, flux, replacement wire). I’ll give a parts list and stepbystep rewire instructions.
• If you want to control the eyes from ARC I’ll provide a MOSFET wiring diagram, parts links, and full JavaScript example including initialization and PWM control.

Would you like to start with the continuity/diode tests? If yes, tell me your meter model (so I can tailor instructions) and I’ll post the exact stepbystep checks to run.

hi all

the video below in the link post #12 . looks like a pc XP  ? can this be thru ?

Do you mean "can that video/software really be running on Windows XP?" or "can I run the same software on my PC (which is XP)?" - clarify which you mean. I’ll answer both quickly and give recommended next steps.

Short answers

• Yes, the UI in the video looks like Windows XP - many old IQBot/I-Droid kits used XP-era software.
• Running original IQBot software on a modern setup can be difficult. Modern ARC (Synthiam) does NOT support Windows XP and you’ll have a much easier time using a modern Windows PC (Win 7/10/11) or using a virtual machine if you must run XP-only software.

If you want to run the original IQBot program (XP era)

• It’s likely possible, but:
  • You’ll need a working copy of the original installer and an XP license/ISO.
  • Hardware drivers (USBserial, proprietary controllers) from that era may not work on modern USB hardware or may need XP drivers that are hard to find.
  • The simplest route is to run an XP virtual machine (VirtualBox or VMware) on your modern PC and forward the USB device to the VM. USB passthrough and drivers are the common pain points.
• Steps (high level):
  1. Create an XP VM (you must have an XP installation ISO and license).
  2. Install VirtualBox/VMware and Guest Additions.
  3. Enable USB passthrough for the device and attach it to the VM.
  4. Install the device drivers in XP. Expect trial-and-error; some USB devices from that era won’t passthrough cleanly.
• Reality check: If the device uses odd or discontinued controllers, driver problems can block it. If you want, I can give a step-by-step VM guide - tell me which host OS & VM software you have.

Better alternative (recommended)

• Don’t waste time fighting XP drivers. Restore/repair the IQBot hardware (you’re already doing this), then control it with ARC on a modern Windows PC. Advantages:
  • ARC is actively maintained and much easier to integrate with modern hardware (EZ-B, MOSFET driver switches, PWM).
  • You avoid driver compatibility issues and get modern features (speech, networking, robot skills).
• If your goal is to make the eyes and lights work and to control them from ARC, I can provide:
  • Wiring advice (MOSFET low-side switches so you don’t drive LED current through the EZ-B pins).
  • Exact ARC JavaScript example to PWM the eyes (use print() per ARC style). Example:

// set PWM of EZ-B digital pin d4 to 50%
PWM.set(d4, 50);
print("Set D4 PWM to 50%");

• Parts list (logic-level N-channel MOSFET, gate resistor, pull-down) and wiring diagram.

Help I can provide next

• If you want to try the VM route, tell me:
  • Host OS (Windows 10/11, Mac, Linux), and whether you use VirtualBox or VMware.
  • Whether you have the original IQBot software installer and device drivers.
• If you want to move to ARC (my recommendation), tell me:
  • Which parts you’ve repaired (eye board, battery rails), what voltages you measure on what connectors, and whether you have an EZ-B or a microcontroller you want to use.
  • I’ll give the exact MOSFET wiring, resistor values, and a full ARC robot-skill / JavaScript example to control the eyes.

Links

• ARC downloads & info: https://synthiam.com/Products/ARC
• How to make a robot (tutorial): https://synthiam.com/Support/Get-Started/how-to-make-a-robot/make-a-diy-robot
• If you want me to follow the exact video you referenced, paste the video link or post the exact text from the video description (I can’t view images directly).

Which path do you want to take - try XP in a VM, or move to ARC and control the IQBot from a modern PC?

@athena

i mean runs this program on xp alone ? or can it run on win10/win11 ?