iRobot Create 3

iRobot (USA) · 2021

Was ~$299–$449Launched at $299. Later listed around $449 at resellers such as Adafruit (now marked as no longer stocked).
Discontinued · used/leftover onlyPython from a laptopRoomba baseROS 2 nativePython SDKNo camera
Possibly ≤ 1 weekShipping: Leftover stock only. Official sales channels are down. A few resellers and eBay sellers still list units, often above the original price.
Remote control: Python on a laptop drives it directly with the irobot-edu-sdk over Bluetooth, or ROS 2 nodes on any host on the same Wi-Fi network see its topics natively.

Overview

The educational Roomba that became the base of TurtleBot 4, a ROS 2 robot straight out of the box with docking, bump and cliff sensing, and a mounting faceplate for a Pi and camera. There is no camera, so vision needs an add-on. iRobot paused non-floor-care products in 2024 and later went through Chapter 11 and a sale, so supply is winding down and the official store link is dead.

Specifications

CategoryWheeled rovers · Laptop is the brain
Released2021
AvailabilityDiscontinued · used/leftover only
ProgrammabilityFull SDK
Best forAges 12+ (estimated)
Vision sensorsNo vision sensors
ActuatorsDC / gear motors
AudioSpeaker
Compute typeProprietary / undisclosed
Remote controlPython from a laptop
Size34 cm diameter, ~9 cm tall, ~2.5 kg (est.)
Drive2-wheel differential (Roomba 600-class chassis without vacuum)
ComputeOn-board controller running ROS 2, no user compute (payload SBC via USB-C)
VisionNone built in
LidarNone
SensorsBumper, cliff sensors, IR proximity, wheel encoders, IMU, optical floor-tracking sensor
Runtime~2 h (1800 mAh Li-ion), self-docking
Speed0.306 m/s
SDKROS 2 over Wi-Fi/Ethernet-over-USB, Python 3 SDK over Bluetooth LE, iRobot Education web coding app

Ratings & reviews

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