3. Important Safety Warning and Handling Precautions

The 3pi robot is not intended for young children! Younger users should use this product only under adult supervision. By using this product, you agree not to hold Pololu liable for any injury or damage related to the use or to the performance of this product. This product is not designed for, and should not be used in, applications where the malfunction of the product could cause injury or damage. Please take note of these additional precautions:

• Do not attempt to program your 3pi if its batteries are drained or uncharged. Losing power during programming could permanently disable your 3pi. If you have purchased rechargeable batteries for use with the 3pi, do not assume they come fully charged; charge them before you first use them. The 3pi has the ability to monitor its battery voltage; the example line-following and maze-solving programs we provide show how to use this feature, and you should include it in your programs so you can know when its time to recharge or replace your batteries.

• The 3pi robot is intended for use indoors on relatively flat, smooth surfaces. Avoid running your 3pi on surfaces that might scrape or damage the underside of your robot’s PCB as it drives around.

• Avoid placing the robot so that the underside of the PCB makes contact with conductive materials (e.g. do not place the 3pi in a bin filled with metal parts). This could inadvertently short out the batteries and damage your robot, even with the 3pi turned off. Shorting various pads or components together could also damage your 3pi.

• Since the PCB and its components are exposed, take standard precautions to protect your 3pi robot from ESD (electrostatic discharge), which could damage the on-board electronics. When picking up the 3pi, you should first touch a safe part of the robot such as the wheels, motors, batteries, or the edges of the PCB. If you first touch components on the PCB, you risk discharging through them. When handing the 3pi to another person, first touch their hand with your hand to equalize any charge imbalance between you so that you don’t discharge through the 3pi as the exchange is made.

• If you remove the LCD, take care to replace it in the right orientation such that it is over the rear battery back. It is possible to put the LCD in backwards or offset; doing so could damage the LCD or the 3pi.