Microcontrollers

From pool pumps to air handling units, closed-loop control is one of the most fundamental tasks performed by embedded systems. Advancements in the architecture of PIC and AVR 8-bit microcontrollers have optimized the devices for implementing closed-loop control...

Designers of internet of things sensors, environmental sensors, smartwatches, medical/preventive health wearables, and other size-constrained devices can now increase battery life and functionality using the ultra-low power MAX32660 and MAX32652 microcontrollers from Maxim Integrated Products...

Most current microcontrollers offer I/O ports that can change their functions during program execution. As outputs, the circuits can sink and source reasonably large amounts of current. This Design Idea shows three alternative methods...

Bringing capacitive-sensing capabilities to cost-sensitive applications, Texas Instruments announced an expansion of its MSP430 microcontroller family with CapTIvate™ technology. Developers can use the new MSP430FR2512 and MSP430FR2522 MCUs with integrated capacitive touch to add as many as 16 buttons as well as proximity sensing...

To meet growing connectivity needs for buildings, factories and the grid, Texas Instruments introduced its newest SimpleLink wireless and wired microcontrollers. These new devices offer industry-leading low power consumption and concurrent multi-standard and multi-band connectivity...

It’s almost a corollary to Moore’s Law: Next year, microcomputers will have more features, and the software team will have bigger ideas. Unfortunately, though, the number of output pins will stay the same. Finding even one spare output for diagnostics, test, or even standard I/O can be a tussle...

Silicon Labs has introduced a new Wi-Fi portfolio to simplify the design of power-sensitive, battery-operated Wi-Fi products including IP security cameras, point-of-sale terminals and consumer health care devices...

The venerable 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) celebrated its 46th birthday this year. Even in middle age, the scrappy, numerically challenged architecture still finds its way into many new embedded applications...

Whether it’s used as an initial introduction into embedded development, the main controller of a connected application or as an attach component to offload tasks from a larger system, the role of the 8-bit microcontroller continues to expand...

The debugging process remains an important area where many embedded design engineers would like to see improvements, according to AspenCore’s 2017 Embedded Market Study. To address these needs and enhance the development experience, Microchip Technology Inc. introduces the MPLAB PICkitTM 4 In-Circuit Debugger...