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Roomberry is a 2018 maker project that turns an older Roomba into a remotely controlled camera platform using a Raspberry Pi Zero W. It sends movement commands and reads robot sensors through the Roomba Open Interface, while a web interface requests camera captures. The documented build is a historical tutorial, not a current, independently tested product or build recipe.
How the Roomberry build works
The Roomba provides the mobile base; the Raspberry Pi Zero W supplies computing and Wi-Fi; and a camera module captures images. A Python daemon on the robot handles HTTP requests for Roomba commands and camera operations. A separate web interface, running on another Raspberry Pi, provides controls, sensor information, authentication and access to captured media. The author describes the two systems communicating over the local network.
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The project began with an Arduino direction, but its creator, Daniel Macías Perea, changed platforms because he wanted more image-processing capability. That was his design rationale, not a benchmark showing that one platform is categorically better.
Rather than a live video stream, the web application displayed frequently refreshed still images. Macías Perea reported delay and quality problems when attempting video through the Pi Zero. Motion detection and object recognition were future ideas in the write-up, not completed Roomberry features.
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- Latest Version: Higher core clock speed, double memory, more powerful Arm cores, optional RISC-V cores (compared to the 1 series) (This W version has onboard wireless LAN and Bluetooth)
- Switchable Cores: Allows users to choose between dual industry-standard Arm Cortex-M33 cores and dual open-hardware Hazard3 cores
- Compatibility: Delivers a significant performance boost, while retaining software- and hardware-compatible with the 1 series
- Detailed Tutorial: Provides step-by-step guide with MicroPython, C and Processing (Java) Code (The download link can be found on the product box) (No paper tutorial)
- Example Projects: Each project has schematics, wiring diagrams, complete code and detailed explanations (Need extra items)
Roomba compatibility and the serial connection
The tutorial describes using the Roomba Open Interface over the robot’s Mini-DIN serial connection, with a stated default rate of 115200 baud. It identifies Roomba series 500, 600 and 700 as compatible, but also warns of firmware- and platform-specific bugs. Connector location varies by series, so identify the exact robot and verify its connector pinout and interface behavior before adapting it.
Electrical levels are a critical safety concern. The tutorial describes Roomba serial signals as 0–5 V TTL and warns that the Pi uses 3.3 V logic. It recommends a bidirectional logic-level converter between the two rather than connecting the serial lines directly. Confirm the actual pinout, signal levels and converter wiring for the hardware in hand; the 2018 tutorial does not establish compatibility with every Roomba or Pi configuration.
Power: why the Mini-DIN connection is not enough
In the 2018 tutorial, the Mini-DIN battery supply is described as unregulated and protected by a resettable fuse with a 200 mA continuous-current limit. Macías Perea reported that his camera-equipped setup drew more than 300 mA, with peaks of 450 mA, and tripped that fuse during video recording. Those are the author’s measurements for his particular build, not independent measurements or universal figures for other cameras and boards.
His solution was to take power from the Roomba battery and use a switching regulator to provide a stable 5 V supply to the Pi. That avoids drawing the full load through the Mini-DIN fuse, but it requires careful work: battery voltage varies, and the Pi needs regulated power. Verify the robot’s wiring, the regulator’s input range and output, the total power budget, and appropriate protections before attempting a battery tap. A separately powered supply or power bank is another design path, but it adds a separate charging task and does not eliminate the need for safe wiring.
Parts and physical construction
The documented project inventory includes a Roomba (the tutorial discusses 600- or 700-series bases; Hackster lists a 700), Raspberry Pi Zero W, camera module, Mini-DIN male connector, five-wire cable, bidirectional level converter, Pololu D24V5F5 switching regulator, microSD card, enclosure, small prototyping board, reset button and micro-USB cable. Hackster also lists a soldering iron and rotary tool. This is the historical bill of materials, not a guarantee that those exact parts are available or suitable today.
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- Powerful Performance: Equipped with a quad-core 64-bit ARM Cortex-A53 processor, the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W delivers a significant performance boost compared to its predecessor. And built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support enable easy wireless communication and Internet access for your projects, five Times Faster.
- SANOOV Basic Starter Kit for Pi Zero 2 W Include: 1. Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W Board 2.Mini HDMI to Standard HDMI adapter 3.Micro-USB to Standard USB OTG Adapter 4.Aluminum Heatsink 5.40 Pin Header.NOTICE: The kit does NOT include , supply power, case, SD card, keyboard, mouse or monitor.
- SANOOV for Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W features: 1GHz quad-core, 64-bit ARM Cortex-A53 CPU VideoCore IV GPU 512MB LPDDR2 DRAM 802.11b/g/n wireless LAN Bluetooth 4.2 / Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) MicroSD card slot Mini HDMI and USB 2.0 OTG ports Micro USB power HAT-compatible 40-pin header Composite video and reset pins via solder test points CSI camera connector.
- Video Output & Efficient Cooling: Supports 1080p30 video output via the mini HDMI port, making it ideal for multimedia applications and streaming.The aluminum heatsink helps dissipate heat, ensuring stable performance even under heavy workloads.
- Compact Size: The tiny size of the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W makes it perfect for space-constrained projects and embedded applications.Ideal for a variety of uses, including IoT projects, home automation, media centers, educational tools, and more.
The tutorial says the Pi Zero W camera connector is smaller than the connector on larger Raspberry Pi models, so an adapter is needed when using a camera with the larger connector. Its camera choice was a 5 MP module described as capable of 1080p video; those specifications apply to the component in that 2018 build, not to an unspecified replacement camera.
The case was modified to fit the assembly, with openings for the camera and cable. The author describes a small HAT-style prototyping board and a reset switch wired to the Pi’s run pads, with enclosure work done using a rotary tool and sanding. Anyone reproducing the fabrication should check fit and connector clearance against the specific board, camera and case rather than assume the historical dimensions transfer.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Software, security and what is now uncertain
The original instructions use Raspbian Stretch, legacy package commands and software libraries whose current support is not established by the project pages. Treat those steps as historical documentation, not current setup instructions. Before building, independently verify the operating-system image, camera software stack, dependencies, Roomba interface library and compatibility of the selected board and robot.
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Project sources and date
Daniel Macías Perea’s detailed tutorial was published on Domotic Project on August 14, 2018: Roomberry Surveillance Robot: Roomba + Pi Zero + Camera. Hackster lists the project as published August 17, 2018, describes it as intermediate and provides a component inventory: Roomberry project on Hackster. The Hackster listing corroborates attribution and inventory; it is not an independent replication. Neither page establishes present-day software maintenance, hardware stock or compatibility with modern Roomba models.
Quick Recap
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