Analog Bumper
For connecting to analog sensors, FIRST provides the NI9201 analog input module plug-in for the CRIO. This module has eight analog inputs that can be read by the robot program. To make it easier to interface with this module, the FRC Analog Bumper (AKA Analog Breakout) is provided, which plugs into the DB25 connector on the NI9201 module. Because FRC sensors typically operate with a 5 volt power supply, the Analog Bumper includes a clean 5 volt DC to DC converter. Not only does this provide convenient power for the sensors, but because the power from this circuit is private to the sensors and share a ground return with them, it keeps the noise level in the analog sensor subsystem to a reasonable level. If you were to use any random 5 volt power supply on your electrical board, the amount of noise seen by the analog inputs would be significantly higher, reducing the effectiveness of the sensors. To take advantage of this noise reduction feature, sensor power inputs and ground returns should always be connected only to their corresponding connectors on the Analog Bumper.
