4.1 Hardware 4.1.1 Microcontroller One of the very difficult tasks of this project was choosing the microcontroller that would allow the application to work. The reason behind the complexity of choosing a microcontroller was because it should of work for all the parts of the project. All components that included data transfer, LCD in addition to the motor and the sensors should be managed by one microcontroller. The work is divided in a way that allows every individual involved in this project to do their own search about the requirements of a microcontroller related to the part they are in charge of. The PIC, the the Motorola 68HC, and the Basic Stamp were all types of microcontrollers that were considered for the application at hand. One generalization is that the microcontroller chosen has to allow for C programming language. The PIC microcontrollers are considered small, fast, and inexpensive with strong I/O capabilities. PIC stands for "Peripheral Interface Controller". The PIC is a RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) design, with only thirty odd instructions to remember; its code is efficient, and easy to understand allowing it to run with typically less program memory than its larger competitors. The PIC micros are found in many projects that include motor controls, sensors, and a lot of other applications that require programmable logic. Figure 4.1.1.1 shows the advantages and disadvantages of the two most popular brands of microcontrollers. AVR PIC Available in DIP Package Available in DIP Package $8.17 (40 pins) $10.35 (40 pins) Programmable with C Programmable with C Free IDE Free IDE $80 Development $40 Development Board Beginner's Development Board Advanced Development Board Few Extras Many Extras 4.1.1.1 Microcontroller Comparison To control the speed of a motor, the chosen MCU must have at least one pin with pulse width modulation (PWM). Most microcontrollers have that to a varying extent, if the PWM pin isn’t found then a separate circuit with a 555-timer will be used to generate a PWM wave. The price of the microcontroller chip is cheap, around few dollars, but the concern is about the programming kit and the development board that come with it since
4.1 Hardware 4.1.1 Microcontroller One of the very difficult tasks of this project was choosing the microcontroller that would allow the application to work. The reason behind the complexity of choosing a microcontroller was because it should of work for all the parts of the project. All components that included data transfer, LCD in addition to the motor and the sensors should be managed by one microcontroller. The work is divided in a way that allows every individual involved in this project to do their own search about the requirements of a microcontroller related to the part they are in charge of. The PIC, the the Motorola 68HC, and the Basic Stamp were all types of microcontrollers that were considered for the application at hand. One generalization is that the microcontroller chosen has to allow for C programming language. The PIC microcontrollers are considered small, fast, and inexpensive with strong I/O capabilities. PIC stands for "Peripheral Interface Controller". The PIC is a RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) design, with only thirty odd instructions to remember; its code is efficient, and easy to understand allowing it to run with typically less program memory than its larger competitors. The PIC micros are found in many projects that include motor controls, sensors, and a lot of other applications that require programmable logic. Figure 4.1.1.1 shows the advantages and disadvantages of the two most popular brands of microcontrollers. AVR PIC Available in DIP Package Available in DIP Package $8.17 (40 pins) $10.35 (40 pins) Programmable with C Programmable with C Free IDE Free IDE $80 Development $40 Development Board Beginner's Development Board Advanced Development Board Few Extras Many Extras 4.1.1.1 Microcontroller Comparison To control the speed of a motor, the chosen MCU must have at least one pin with pulse width modulation (PWM). Most microcontrollers have that to a varying extent, if the PWM pin isn’t found then a separate circuit with a 555-timer will be used to generate a PWM wave. The price of the microcontroller chip is cheap, around few dollars, but the concern is about the programming kit and the development board that come with it since
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