SystemCore — Next-Gen FRC Robot Controller
Status: Upcoming (alpha testing later this year) Replaces: roboRIO Source: FIRST Community Blog, March 2026
What Is SystemCore?
SystemCore is the new robot controller for FRC and FTC — the replacement for the aging roboRIO. It’s a fundamental shift in the control system architecture.
“SystemCore is the future robot controller designed to address the evolving needs of competitive robotics programs.” — FIRST
Hardware Specs
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Size | Large smartphone form factor |
| CAN-FD | 5x CAN-FD ports |
| SmartIO | 6x SmartIO (flexible analog/digital/PWM) |
| I2C | 2x I2C ports |
| USB | 4x USB 3.0, USB-C |
| Ethernet | Yes |
| RSL | Ring light connector |
| WiFi | Integrated 2.4/5GHz |
| IMU | Built-in IMU for odometry/localization |
| AI | M.2 A+E port — Hailo-8 AI Accelerator compatible |
MotionCore
Companion motion controller for advanced motion control and sensing.
Programming
Limelight is building the web-based IDE — Blockly, Java, and Python support.
This is a major shift: web-based IDE instead of VS Code / WPILib.
Why This Matters for 2890
- Current students will transition from roboRIO to SystemCore
- Built-in IMU means no external gyro for odometry
- AI accelerator opens ML-based game piece detection
- New programming workflow with Limelight IDE
- Alpha testing begins later this year — curriculum needs to prepare
Curriculum Path
When SystemCore releases:
- Hardware Overview — Physical connections, compare to roboRIO
- SmartIO Configuration — Flexible pin mapping
- CAN-FD vs CAN — What changes
- Built-in IMU — Odometry and localization without external gyro
- Limelight IDE — New development workflow
- AI Integration — Hailo-8 accelerator for object detection
Status
- Current: Alpha testing
- Expected: Rollout TBD (monitor FIRST announcements)
- Curriculum: Track FIRST blogs for updates
Monitor: https://community.firstinspires.org/ for official FIRST announcements