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Roomberry is a 2018 maker project that turns an older iRobot Roomba into a remotely controlled camera platform using a Raspberry Pi Zero W. The Pi communicates with the robot through its Open Interface, while a web app sends commands and retrieves camera images. It is a historical DIY build—not a ready-made surveillance product—and its power, wiring and software details need to be checked against the exact hardware being used.
What Roomberry does
Roomberry combines a Roomba as the mobile base, a Raspberry Pi Zero W for computing and Wi-Fi, and a camera module for images. A Python 3 daemon handles HTTP GET requests for robot commands and camera operations. A separate web interface, running on another Raspberry Pi in the described setup, provides password-protected controls, sensor information and access to captured images or videos. [Domotic Project]
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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Freenove Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W Board Pre-Soldered Header, Dual Arm Cortex-M33 and Dual Hazard3... | $18.95 | Buy on Amazon |
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SANOOV Raspberry Pi Zero 2W Kit | $111.99 | Buy on Amazon |
The project author, Daniel Macías Perea, chose the Pi after deciding an Arduino did not offer the image-processing capability he wanted. That was his design rationale, not a comparative performance benchmark. The Pi enabled a more capable computing platform but also brought greater power and integration demands.
Why Roomberry uses refreshed pictures instead of live video
The web app displayed periodically refreshed still images. Macías Perea reported that integrating video on the Pi Zero produced substantial delay and quality problems in his implementation, so he used frequently refreshed snapshots instead. Motion detection and object recognition were described as possible future features, not completed Roomberry functions. [Domotic Project]
#1 Best Overall
- 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)
Hardware in the 2018 build
The tutorial discusses Roomba 600- and 700-series robots, and the Hackster project inventory identifies a Roomba 700. The author says series 500, 600 and 700 can work with the Open Interface, but also notes platform and firmware caveats. Compatibility should not be assumed for every robot in those series—or for later models. Check the exact model, firmware behavior, connector location and pinout before adapting a base. [Domotic Project] [Hackster project listing]
The documented parts include a Raspberry Pi Zero W, camera module, Mini-DIN male connector, five-wire cable, bidirectional logic-level converter, regulated 5 V switching regulator, microSD card, case, small prototyping board, reset button and micro-USB cable. The parts inventory also mentions a soldering iron and rotary tool. These items describe the historical project, not a guarantee that particular parts remain available or are suitable substitutes today. [Hackster project listing]
The Pi Zero W camera connector is smaller than the connector used on larger Pi models, according to the tutorial, so the camera connection may require an adapter. Macías Perea’s build used a 5-megapixel camera described as capable of 1080p video; those specifications apply to the components he documented, not to an unspecified camera or current replacement. [Domotic Project]
Connecting the Roomba interface safely
Roomberry sends movement commands and reads sensor data through the Roomba Open Interface over a Mini-DIN serial connection. The tutorial gives a default serial rate of 115200 baud and describes the Roomba serial signals as 0–5 V TTL. Because the Pi uses 3.3 V logic, the author recommends a bidirectional level converter rather than directly wiring the Roomba serial signals to the Pi. Confirm the pinout and electrical levels for the specific robot before connecting anything. [Domotic Project]
Why the Pi needs a separate regulated power design
The tutorial describes the Roomba Mini-DIN power output 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 during his tests; video recording tripped the fuse. These are measurements from his 2018 configuration, not general consumption figures for every Pi or camera. [Domotic Project]
Rank #2
- 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.
Instead of powering the Pi from that Mini-DIN output, the author tapped the Roomba battery and used a switching regulator to provide a stable 5 V supply. Battery voltage varies, so this approach requires a suitable regulator and carefully verified wiring and protections. It avoids the cited Mini-DIN fuse constraint but makes power design the builder’s responsibility. A separate power bank is another option mentioned in the tutorial; it avoids drawing from that connector but must be recharged separately.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Software, security and age-related limitations
The 2018 tutorial uses Raspbian Stretch and older package and library instructions. The project pages do not establish whether those commands, dependencies, camera stack or code remain maintained or work with current operating systems and hardware. Treat the published software steps as historical: verify a supported OS image, camera compatibility, library availability and the current Roomba interface before following them. The author also describes a mode intended to keep the Roomba from sleeping after five minutes, but builders should verify its behavior for their robot and firmware. [Domotic Project]
The web interface is described as password-protected and encrypted, but the author says traffic between the separate server and Roomberry on the local network was plain text. That historical design detail is not a security assessment or a recommendation for present-day deployment. Anyone adapting the project should assess authentication, network exposure and transport security for the actual software they run.
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What to verify before attempting a rebuild
- Identify the exact Roomba model, firmware and Mini-DIN connector pinout; compatibility claims in the tutorial are qualified by platform and firmware caveats.
- Use level conversion appropriate to the Roomba’s serial signals and the Pi’s logic levels; do not assume direct wiring is safe.
- Design a regulated 5 V supply for the Pi and camera, and check the battery connection, current demand and protections for the particular hardware.
- Confirm the Pi board’s camera connector, camera interface and any required adapter.
- Check that the operating system, camera software, Python dependencies and Roomba-control code are currently supported before relying on the 2018 instructions.
- Decide whether refreshed still images meet the use case; the author reported latency and quality problems with live video on his Pi Zero implementation.
Domotic Project published the detailed tutorial on August 14, 2018; Hackster’s project listing is dated August 17, 2018 and cross-checks the attribution and component inventory. Neither page establishes current maintenance, parts availability, modern Roomba compatibility or independent reproduction of the build. [Domotic Project] [Hackster project listing]
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