Off the shelf way to power jetson nano and xavier from iRobot Create 2

Question

I'm making an indoor companion bot, but requirement is that it easily traverse thick carpet, which is common all across the US in houses. Seems no better platform than 'Roomba' which was designed for that. (iRobot Create 2)

I will have to power several cameras, a couple servos, webcam speakers and a Jetson xavier nx.

The PRIMARY requirement is that the robot can autocharge it self. It is 100% unacceptable to have any forced physical interaction. Similar to the Vector robot, it is just suppose to be a little pet for entertainment, and needs to charge itself.

I have skills in the programming, but I need to avoid the wiring, soldering part, volts-watts current limits etc. so it can be used in a programming (not electronics) teaching setting. I want to know what off-the-shelf things to buy be able to just assemble it and work on the code.

budget limit besides cameras, jetson, and 'roomba' is $500 USD

"how can I power a jetson and the mentioned peripherals FROM THE BATTERY of the Create."

• The comments about price were to 'quantify the solution space'
• The comments about 'self charging without intervention' were to clarify the restriction of not using external battery packs, and not have the solution interfere with Roomba's autocharging feature
• The comments about the choice and the robot were to clarify that other bases could potentially be solutions but would need to be as effective on carpet and handle weight and self charge

Answer 1

The Create2 Open Interface Spec (warning: direct PDF download) gives a description of the pinout on the connector:

You can see there that you can tap into the Create2 battery by attaching to Pin 1 (V+) and Pin 7 (GND), etc. There's a note under this diagram that states:

Pins 1 and 2 (Vpwr) are connected to the Roomba battery through a 200 mA PTC resettable fuse. The continuous draw from these two pins together should not exceed 200 mA. Do not draw more than 500 mA peak from these pins, or the fuse will reset.

There's a document about using the Create2's battery power (warning: direct PDF download) that gives some more information, stating in part:

SERIAL PORT

Ratings

Voltage 20.5V – 10V

Current 0.2A

Power 2W

Always On: The serial port power comes from either the charger when the robot is on the dock or from the battery while the robot is running, serial port power is always on. We recommend installing an on/off switch between the serial port and your project. Remember to turn off your project when you’re done. If you leave your project on and don’t return the robot to the dock to charge you will eventually deeply discharge the battery and damage it.

If you're going to power something off the battery, you'll need a voltage converter that can handle at least a 10-20.5 volt input range. Any converter capable of handling that range should work, then you'd just need to determine what the output voltage is that you need and the power requirements to make sure you're staying under the 2W serial port requirement.