1. Resources:Hardware and Software Senior Design – Fall 2011

2. Microcontrollers • Useful for analog-digital conversions, timing, counting pulses, serial communications, PWM, digital I/O, and much more! • Code can be interrupt driven • Possible applications • Perform an A-D conversion on a signal and send that data to a PC • Control an LCD display • Receive information from a RF ID reader • Interpret signals from a numeric keypad *Pictures from http://www.electronic-kits-and-projects.com

3. Tips for using Micros • Program in C • Read all the documentation for the part!!!! • Code in small steps • Best first step is to make an LED blink • Refer to code examples for help • For digital I/O • Be sure voltages are within permissible range • Check if microcontroller can sink or source enough current • Development boards are a great way to get your hardware running fast!

4. TI MSP430 • Ultra low power Micro • Free samples from TI (we have a university agreement and can get samples and programmers) • Free IDE based on eclipse with integrated debugging • Free GCC compiler • Many RTOS solutions available • Hardware debugging makes finding problems in code easier • Some development boards have integrated wireless ZigBee support eZ430-RF2500 • Many Examples • Very easy to use USB programmers/Debuggers • Ultra low power Micro • Free samples from TI (we have a university agreement and can get samples and programmers) • Free IDE based on eclipse with integrated debugging • Free GCC compiler • Many RTOS solutions available • Hardware debugging makes finding problems in code easier • Some development boards have integrated wireless ZigBee support eZ430-RF2500 • Many Examples • Very easy to use USB programmers/Debuggers *Picture from http://www.ti.com/

5. ATMEL ATMEGA Microcontrollers • Many Different microcontrollers – most commonly used for projects are MEGA168/MEGA128 • Powerful user community = Arduino project • Many open source tools, hardware and libraries, entire tool chain runs on Linux/Windows/Mac • Several simple serial boot loaders to load programs, programmers are easy to build • Software USB support • More limited hardware debugging *Picture from http://www.atmel.com/

6. Microchip PICs • Available in lab: PIC16F877A • Many other types available to order • Two excellent resources • PIC data sheet • PICC Compiler Help • Receive two PICs for free • Disadvantage: Closed compiler/toolchain • Newer PIC’s with crossbar can be difficult to setup pin functions *Picture from http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/39582b.pdf

7. Other Microcontrollers • BASIC Stamp • Programmed using BASIC • Can be used when high performance is not necessary • ARM (LPC, TI, etc) • Very Advanced toolchain, very powerful microcontrollers with a lot of features • Hard to program the hardware • Cypress PSoC • GUI based programming software • Development Kits Available *Pictures from http://www.basicx.com/ and http://www.ti.com/

8. DSPs • TI TMS320C54x • Same DSPs as used in ECE 420 • Programmable in assembly Simulink or C • Useful for audio processing • TI TMS320C6713 • Floating point DSP • Useful for image and video processing

9. National Instruments CVS • Real time vision processing system • programmed in Labview *Images from http://www.ni.com/vision/cvs.htm

10. FPGAs • We have several new NI FPGA boards • Useful when very high speed calculations are needed • Power hungry • Consider using a microcontroller first • Great for projects which require a lot of recursive or parallel calculations

11. XBee Radios • Low-power wireless sensor networks • Zigbee/IEEE 802.15.4 compliant • ISM 2.4 GHz wireless • Serial interface (9600 to 115200) • 10 uA sleep current • 100 feet indoor range (may vary) • Advanced features include toggling pins on remote radio, Over the air programming of features, and many integrated functions in the radio hardware (Series 2)

12. Other Radio Chips • Lynx • Simple wireless data transmitters and receivers • Available in lab • Wifi and Bluetooth • Serial interface to microcontrollers • One starting point for products www.sparkfun.com * Pictures from http://www.linxtechnologies.com/ and www.sparkfun.com

13. Board Layout Software • Eagle • Installed on lab computers • Free download for board size < 4x3in x 2 layer • Tutorial on class drive • Orcad • Installed on lab computers • More complicated, lots of options * Picture from Kieran Levin

14. Sensors! Interface between:

15. Sensor Challenges:

16. Datasheets! • Find them from manufacture or supplier websites. • Without a datasheet it is hard to design around an unknown part • Some Good places to look • Datasheet Repositories • www.alldatasheet.com • www.questlink.com • www.tds-net.com