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ECE 445 Resources. Kevin Bassett. September 2 , 2014. Outline. Microcontrollers vs. DSPs vs. Embedded Processors Brands and Series Development Tools Sensors More than one way to skin a cat Software E-CAD for PCB Design Lab Equipment Tools. The Main Point…. We have a LOT of stuff
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ECE 445 Resources Kevin Bassett September 2, 2014
Outline Microcontrollers vs. DSPs vs. Embedded Processors • Brands and Series • Development Tools Sensors • More than one way to skin a cat Software • E-CAD for PCB Design Lab Equipment Tools
The Main Point… We have a LOT of stuff • Way more than we could fit into a presentation Talk to your TA, If we don’t have exactly what you’re looking for, we probably have something very similar
Development Tools Dev Boards • MSP430 LaunchPad, PIC18 Explorer, PSoCdevkit Software IDE • CCS for MSP430 (and DSPs), MPLAB for PICs, PSoC Designer for Cypress PSoC
Microcontroller Selection MYTH: “I need an Atmel AVR to do this” or “I need an FPGA (or DSP) to do this” TRUTH: All microcontroller brands are very similar and offer a rich feature set TRUTH: Although a problem may be more suited to an FPGA or DSP, that doesn’t mean you CAN’T do it on a microcontroller Don’t pick your part based on what “some guy said online” or because “your friend used this one” Research what is available and make an informed decision appropriate for your project If you don’t have a strong brand preference, you may want to consider which series your TA is most familiar with
Sensors Don’t reinvent the wheel, unless that’s the title of your project • Don’t spend a lot of time trying to design a sensor that exists if that isn’t the main point of your project Lots of commonly available sensors can be found in the lab and are frequently used in projects Flexure Sensor Thermopile Ultrasonic Distance Sensor Ambient Light Sensor Rotary Encoder
Example: Distance Questions • What range? • Through what medium? • What accuracy? • What repetition rate? Options • Ultrasonic Time-of-flight • Laser Time-of-flight • Interferometry • Parallax
E-CAD Software Schematic entry and PCB design We have licenses for EAGLE and Cadence In-class EAGLE Tutorial in a couple weeks
Lab Equipment Digital Multi-meters Oscilloscopes Power Supplies Network Analyzers • LCR Meters • Logic Analyzers • Programmers
Lab Equipment If you are not 100% sure of how to make a particular measurement or use a piece of equipment, talk to your TA “There are no stupid questions” when it comes to lab equipment, don’t be afraid to ask for a refresher on how a particular piece of equipment works READ THE MANUAL! • Good manuals for pretty much all the equipment in the lab can be found searching the manufacturer website
Lab Equipment Respect the lab equipment • Lab equipment is extremely expensive • Some lab equipment can easily be broken and require expensive repairs • Read warning labels, know equipment capabilities and limitations • Bad measurement? Is it the equipment or your test setup or project? Pay Attention to Warnings
Tools It is highly recommended that you purchase some basic tools for yourself and keep them in your lab kit or backpack • Wire cutters • Needle-nosed pliers • Screwdriver set Tools are available for reasonable prices at the ECE shop, local hardware stores, and online