Microchip Puts “Cash for Clunkers” Development Tool Exchange Program in Gear

Microchip’s Cash for Clunkers program allows embedded designers who are tired of looking at the faded paint jobs on their old tools to exchange selected models from Microchip’s competitors for a rebate as high as 30%—up to a $120 savings—on select PIC® Microcontroller, memory and analog development tools. But you’d better act fast—the program ends on October 30, 2009. Of course, Microchip will dispose of all exchanged competitor tools in an appropriate manner.

Read the press release for more information

[Embeded.com] Embedded multitasking with small MCUs

Keith Curtis posted an article about embedded multitasking on small microcontrollers over on embedded.com.

Multitasking is the ability to execute multiple separate tasks in a fashion that is seemingly simultaneous. Note the phrase "seemingly simultaneous." Short of a multiple processor system, there is no way to make a single processor execute multiple tasks at the same time. However, there is a way to create a system that seems to execute multiple tasks at the same time.

Check it out. It's a good read if you're interested in embedded multitasking.

PIC32 Design Challenge Top 5 from the ESC Keynote

Here's the video from the 2009 ESC West Keynote. It shows the top 5 designs in the PIC32 Design Challenge. See more at http://www.mypic32.com

PIC32 awarded EDN's 19th Annual Innovation Awards

EDN bestowed its 19th Annual Innovation Awards, honoring a diverse group of electronics engineers and the ground-breaking products they have produced. Microchip's PIC32 32-bit microcontroller was chosen in the Microcontroller category. Follow this link for the complete list of awards.

PIC32 Development on Mac OS X using UBW32

Phillip Burgess posted a great article describing how to use Brian Schmalz's UBW32 and Microchip's USB Bootloader to create a low-cost PIC32 development kit for Mac OS X. Visit his www.PaintYourDragon.com website for all of the details.

Programming 32-bit Microcontrollers in C: Exploring the PIC32

Looking for a good book to get you started programming in C for the 32-bit PIC32 MCU? Take a look at Lucio Di Jasio's Programming 32-bit Microcontrollers in C: Exploring the PIC32. The book describes the PIC32 microcontroller and has many useful examples in C. Keep in mind that this is not an introductory C language book; It expects you to be familiar with C programming already.

Embedded design discussion about human interface applications

Notes from the Lab is a new blog featuring an embedded design discussion about human interface applications. It is "written and maintained by engineers for engineers who wish to explore the role of human interface control in today’s embedded applications." The blog is definitely worth a read for anyone interested in human interfaces such as graphics, touch screens, and audio for embedded applications.

Visit the blog.

Help Us Populate the Source Code Library

Do you have Microchip source code to share with the embedded design community? Why not upload it to the new Embedded.com Source Code Library?

Microchip Enhances Mid-range 8-bit PIC Microcontroller Core

Building upon the success of Microchip's popular Mid-range core, the enhanced core provides numerous technical improvements, including more program and data memory; a deeper/enhanced hardware stack; additional reset methods; 14 additional programming instructions, including "C" efficiency optimizations resulting in code size reductions; increased peripheral support; reduced interrupt latency, and other enhancements.

Recognizing the demand for increased performance and peripherals within the 8-bit MCU market, Microchip continues to invest in its 8-bit PIC(R) MCU line to provide a broad product portfolio that meets the needs of its existing and future customers. The enhanced core builds upon the best elements of the existing Mid-range core and provides additional performance, while maintaining compatibility with existing Mid-range products for true product migration. The enhancements provide users with a boost of performance of up to 50% and code-size reductions of up to 40% for various algorithms and functions. Microchip's Mid-range 8-bit PIC MCUs continue their wide market acceptance and gain further momentum into applications where MCUs have been historically void, thereby enabling designers to differentiate their products in the marketplace.

Read the full press release on MarketWatch.com
More info here

EDN's Q&A with Microchip's CEO Steve Sanghi

Electronic Business recently spoke with Steve Sanghi, president, CEO, and chairman of Microchip Technology Inc, on the economy’s impact on the microcontroller market, the company’s entrance into 32-bit MCUs, and why it still banks on 8- and 16-bit MCUs as a sustainable sales opportunity.

Read the article here.

Is Assembly Language Obsolete?

Jack Ganssle has an interesting post on Embedded.com regarding the relevance of assembly-language programming in today's world. It's in response to comments regarding a recent posting on Slashdot about unneeded abilities. Read what he has to say on embedded.com. I take a little offense to his comment about "brain-dead low-end PICs", but I supposed he didn't mean it to be negative.

mTouch™ Solution and Design Center for Touch Sensing Applications

I just saw this press release and thought it was interesting. I haven't looked at the app note or source code yet, but I think I will soon.

From the press release:

Touch sensing is fast becoming an alternative to traditional push-button user interfaces, because it requires no mechanical movement, and enables a completely sealed and modern-looking design. Expanding beyond the consumer market, touch sensing is beginning to take hold in medical, industrial and automotive applications for reasons such as aesthetics, maintenance,cost and cleanliness. Microchip enables engineers to add this leading-edge user interface to their designs, without the cost of fee-based licensing and royalty agreements. The Company’s full source-code solution further enables design engineers to integrate touch sensing functionality with their existing application code in a single microcontroller, thus reducing the total system cost associated with current solutions.

Available now, via a free download from Microchip’s Web site at www.microchip.com/mtouch, the Touch Sensing Software Development Kit comes complete with:

• Kit user’s manual with Quick-Start Guide for building a touch sensing application
• Application Notes covering hardware and software design practices, with example implementations for touch sensing solutions, including:

1. Introduction, AN1101
2. Layout & Physical Guidelines, AN1102
3. Software, AN1103
4. Multi-Button Systems, AN1104

• Graphical User Interface software tools for analysis of designs, utilizing Microchip’s PICkit™ Serial Analyzer Development Tool
• Source Code for a variety of sensing routines
• MPLAB® Integrated Development Environment, and the user’s manual
• 30-day license for HI-TECH’s PICC-Lite C compiler, and the user’s manual
• Frequently asked questions
  

Martin Bates' Refresher Course in Sensor Design using Microcontrollers

Embedded.com is running a multi-part series by Martin Bates, a lecturer in technology at the Hastings College of Arts and Technology, United Kingdom. In the series, Martin Bates provides details on the design the interface between a sensor and a microcontroller, and how to specify the performance of the linear amplifier used to translate the sensor output into suitable input for an MCU.

Part 1: An introduction to sensors and their characteristics
Part 2: A survey of sensor types
Part 3: Implementing a sensor/MCU interface