Motor control with AVR MCUs

Microcontrollers (MCUs) are becoming more and more common for motor control applications as they replace Application-Specific Standard Products (ASSP) and ASICs. Simply put, MCUs are equipped with embedded peripherals – thereby offering considerable flexibility while reducing costs.

Typical applications for motor control MCUs – such as Atmel’s extensive AVR lineup – include compressors and fans in refrigerators, fans in cooker hoods, as well as drums and pumps in washing machines.

“Atmel AVR MCUs are particularly well suited for motor control applications. First off, Flash memory provides flexibility that enables developers to use the same microcontroller for multiple applications, all while easily upgrading the program during an application’s lifetime,” an Atmel engineering rep told Bits and Pieces.

“Secondly, code compatibility allows engineers to port existing development to other Atmel AVR microcontrollers based on new application requirements. Thirdly, the extended family of Atmel 8-bit AVR microcontrollers helps engineers choose a perfect fit for a specific application, while keeping costs under control. And lastly, dedicated peripherals such as high-end PWM modules and ADC are ideal for motor control applications.”

Numerous motors  can be appropriately paired with Atmel AVR MCUs, including a three-phase BLDC, two-phase BLDC, asynchronous AC and stepper.

Interested in learning more? Additional information about using Atmel AVR MCUs for various motor control applications is available here.

Wearable computing with Atmel MCUs

Atmel is smack in the middle of the rapidly evolving wearable tech revolution. First off, Atmel’s SAM4S and tinyAVR MCUs are inside the Agent smart-watch which recently hit Kickstarter.

Atmel MCUs have also tipped up in a number of Maker projects for wearable tech, like the LED pocket watch we featured earlier this month, as well as Adafruit’s Flora, which is built around Atmel’s Atmega32u4 MCU.

And why not? Simply put, Atmel offers a wide range of wearable computing platforms designed for ultra-low power consumption – both in active and standby modes. Indeed, Atmel’s EventSystem with SleepWalking allows peripherals to automatically connect with each other even in ultra low power modes, thereby simplifying sensor interfacing and further optimizing power consumption. Meanwhile, “Wakeup” times are minimized, facilitating the use of low-power modes without missing communications data or sensor events.

In addition, Atmel devices integrate numerous features to save circuit board space, such as USB transceivers and embedded termination resistors. Many devices are offered in very small form factor packages, a critical characteristic for engineers and Makers designing wearable tech.

On the software side, the Atmel Software Framework (ASF) includes communications libraries to support external Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios, mesh and point-to-point networking on Atmel’s 802.15.4/Zigbee AT86RF radios as well as a full range of USB drivers. The ASF also contains libraries and driver functions for many popular third-party sensors such as accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers.

In addition, standalone Atmel controllers support off-the-shelf capacitive buttons, sliders and wheel (BSW) implementations. Plus, all our microcontrollers can directly manage capacitive buttons via provided software libraries, while the maXTouch series of capacitive touchscreen controllers are capable of managing optically clear touch sensors overlaid on LCD displays.

And last but certainly not least, Atmel’s touch platforms may be tuned to function when moisture is present – which is often a key requirement for wearable applications. Interested in learning more? Check out Atmel’s white paper on wearable tech here.

Printing a 3D Tardis-Transformer

Earlier this month, we gave props to a remarkably realistic DIY PIP-Boy (Personal Information Processor-Boy) made with a 3D printer. Today we’re taking a closer look at a Tardis Transformer which was designed using an open source RepRap 3D printer.

“I originally only had Soundwave in mind when I was designing this. So all the small details are based around his robot design. But I was catching heck for making the Tardis into a Decepticon so I repainted him and added a second head option to make him Vector Prime,” a Maker by the name of “Nonnef” explained in an Instructables post.

“I still think Soundwave would make an awesome Tardis, but anyone making this has their option of which to build. The print is still rough and needs cleaned up, but I keep changing the design faster than I keep up with actually printing him out. Going to keep it at a weekly print of what I currently have changed.”

As Hack A Day’s Brian Benchoff notes, be prepared for a very long print if you plan on having a go at the Tardis Transfomer, as the latest iteration of the model took approximately 30 hours with a .35 mm nozzle.

Nevertheless, the level of detail is impressive, as is the fact that 99% of the Tardis Transformer originated from a 3D printer – with only a pen spring and small screw scrounged elsewhere.

Additional information about the Tardis Transformer can be found here on Instructables, while details about Atmel-powered  RepRap 3D printers can be found here.

Getting up close and personal with SERCOM

Last week, Bits & Pieces discussed Atmel’s Peripheral Event System in the context of the recently launched SAM D20 microcontroller (MCU) lineup. Today, we’re getting up close and personal with SERCOM (Serial Communication Module) on the  SAM D20 which can be configured to support UART/USART, SPI or I2C.

“SERCOM offers immense flexibility when embarking on a design since it allows devs to configure available interfaces as needed. Essentially, there are two very important benefits to this approach,” explained Andreas Eieland, Sr. Product Marketing Manager, Atmel.

“Firstly, you no longer need to trawl through microcontroller specifications looking for a device with the number of types of serial interfaces you require. Not only does this save a lot of time but it also allows you to adopt a single microcontroller for a number of similar designs where the interfaces required may differ slightly and you no longer have to buy a device that has five UARTS because you need three SPIs.”

According to Eieland, another benefit of Atmel’s SERCOM relates to designing the PCB. By choosing the interface type to coincide with the location of any supporting interface components or interconnect on the PCB, engineers can ensure more efficient PCB routing that is not only potentially shorter, but also avoids any long signal paths past electrically noisy components.

“This is made possible by having multiple SERCOM modules and the fact that each SERCOM module boasts multiple pin connection options. Remember, Atmel’s SAM D20 device supports I2C fast mode of up to 400 kHz while SPI and UART are capable of up to 24 Mb/s transfer speeds,” he continued.

“Plus, the serial communication modules all are connected to the Peripheral Event System – facilitating peripheral cooperation without CPU intervention. Each SERCOM module is also capable of being reconfigured by software into another interface type on-the-fly.”

Additional data about Atmel’s Peripheral Event System and SERCOM for the SAM D20 can be found here.

Building a custom LEGO MCU system

A Maker by the name of J. Benschop has created a custom electronic LEGO system powered by an Atmel microcontroller (MCU).

“The main board consists of a [number of components, including an] ATMega328, nRF24L01+, a protection diode and stabilizing capacitor,” Benschop explained.

“The  ATMega328 is running at 5V while the nRF24L01 requires 3.3V. However, I needed the IO pins to run at 5V and although the nRF24L01 requires a lower supply voltage, all interface pins can handle 5V.”

As the Hack A Day crew notes, the enclosure for the LegoDuino is compatible with other LEGO bricks, simply because it is made from a 6×16 plate (three blocks high), with sufficient space for the electronics, three AA batteries and IO headers.

On the software side, Benschop decided to go with the Minibloq programming environment, as the Arduino IDE was somewhat too advanced for his nine-year-old son to take on.

“I downloaded [Minibloq] and found that I could add my own blocks relatively easily. For the LegoDuino target in Minibloq, I copied the ArduinoUno target. I modified minibloq.h to use my defined port names as well as the minibloq target board definition (main.board),” wrote Benschop.

“I also added some of my own programming blocks and the Arduino NewPing sensor (instead of the existing Ping sensor). [Plus], I copied the DCMotor programming block and modified it into a LegoMotor programming block. And I added some special power button [along with] LED support so the power button can be used to turn the LegoDuino on and off, but also to power off the LegoDuino after a fixed time. This way, the batteries will not be drained when my son forgets to turn it off.”

Interested in learning more? Additional information about Benschop’s custom electronic LEGO microcontroller system can be found here.

A practical guide to Atmel AVR microcontrollers

Earlier this month, we took a close look at at an instructional book for Makers that describes how to use various Atmel-powered Arduino boards in a wide variety of LEGO projects, as well as another Maker book titled “Arduino Workshop: A Hands-On Introduction with 65 Projects.”

But what if you wanted to get up close and personal with an Atmel AVR microcontroller (MCU), sans the board? Well, you might want to check out “Practical AVR Microcontrollers.” Written by Alan Trevennor, the book kicks off with the basics in part one – setting up a development environment and detailing how a “naked” AVR differs from a classic Arduino.

Part two offers an in-depth exploration of various projects, including an illuminated secret panel, a hallway lighting system with a waterfall effect, a crazy lightshow and visual effects gizmos like a Moire wheel and shadow puppets.

“You’ll design and implement some home automation projects, including working with wired and wireless setups,” Trevennor explained. “Along the way, you’ll design a useable home automation protocol and look at a variety of hardware setups.”

Readers will also learn the following:

• How programming the AVR differs from programming an Arduino
• How to use the Arduino IDE to program the AVR and when to use AVR Studio
• How to network your AVR devices and use them in home automation
• How to add intelligence to your AVR devices
• How to design games with an AVR

Interested? The e-book version of “Practical AVR Microcontrollers” can be purchased from Amazon for $22.79 here.

Atmega32u4 MCU takes center stage in wearable tech challenge

Known as “FLORA,” Adafruit’s wearable electronics platform is built around Atmel’s Atmega32u4 MCU. The microcontroller boasts built-in USB support, eliminating the need for pesky special cables and extra parts.

According to Adafruit’s Limor Fried, FLORA is extremely “beginner-friendly.” Indeed, the device is difficult to accidentally destroy by connecting a battery backwards, thanks to a polarized connector and protection diodes. Meanwhile, an onboard regulator ensures even connecting a 9V battery won’t result in damage or tears.

Numerous Makers are using FLORA to design a wide range of creations, a fact that has caught the eye of the folks at element14. To be sure, the Newark Corporation recently issued a challenge to engineers and Makers to develop their own piece of wearable technology. The platform of choice for the contest? Adafruit’s versatile FLORA kit.

“Wearable technology is incredibly popular at the moment. Yet, we’re still waiting for a product that brings wearable technology together with clothing and that’s what makes this competition and the Adafruit kit stand out,” explained Dianne Kibbey, Global Head of Community, element14.

“In this challenge we’re calling on our talented community to create something new in wearable technology that will make a difference to the everyday lives of the user. From tracking the vulnerable or elderly to finding a lost handbag in a nightclub, wearable technology is only just getting started and has the potential to do so much and this is why we’re all really looking forward to seeing the submissions in this competition.”

As previously discussed on Bits & Pieces, Atmel is right in the middle of the wearable tech revolution. First off, Atmel’s SAM4S and tinyAVR MCUs are inside the Agent smart-watch which recently hit Kickstarter. Atmel MCUs have also tipped up in a number of Maker projects for wearable tech, like the LED pocket watch we featured earlier this month.

Clearly, wearable tech is getting a long overdue makeover, as Internet-linked computers are woven into formerly brainless attire such as glasses, bracelets and shoes.

“We are heading for the wearable computing era,” Gartner analyst Van Baker told the AFP. “People are going to be walking around with personal area networks on their bodies and have multiple devices that talk to each other and the Web.”

Ben Arnold, director of industry analysis for consumer technology at NPD, expressed similar sentiments.

“Traditional technology companies will have to start paying attention to how sensors are enabling us to live,” he added. “Consumers are ultimately going to become more aware of their data in the digital ether. I suspect wearables are going to disrupt the way tech firms are doing business now.”

A closer look at Atmel’s SAM D20 Xplained Pro eval kit

Atmel’s SAM D20 lineup is based on the ARM Cortex- M0+ core, setting a new benchmark for flexibility and ease-of-use. The recently launched MCU series is ideal for a number of low-power, cost-sensitive industrial and consumer devices, such as GPS trackers, appliance controllers, intelligent remotes and optical transceivers.

Perhaps most importantly, the SAM D20 also offers engineers easy access to an expansive array of software and hardware tools, including Atmel Studio 6 (free IDE with compiler) as well as the SAM D20 Xplained Pro evaluation kit.

The $39  kit supports the Atmel I/O1 Xplained Pro, OLED1 Xplained Pro and PROTO1 Xplained Pro extension boards, all of which can be purchased individually.

In terms of key specs, the board is powered by a SAMD20J18 microcontroller and features one mechanical reset button, a single mechanical user pushbutton (wake-up, bootloader entry or general purpose), a yellow user LED, 32.768kHz crystal and three Xplained Pro extension headers.

Additional specs include an embedded debugger, Auto-ID for board identification in Atmel Studio 6.1, one yellow status LED, one green board power LED, Data Gateway Interface (SPI, I²C, 4 GPIOs) and a virtual COM port (CDC).

Atmel’s SAM D20 Xplained Pro evaluation kit can be purchased here for $39.

BlinkyTape re-invents the LED

The BlinkyTape – powered by Atmel’s ATmega32U4 microprocessor – is a portable LED strip with 60 pixels and an integrated USB-programmable light processor. Additional key specs include 32KB Flash memory, 2.5KB RAM, 1KB EEPROM, a micro USB connector for power and data, as well as an on-board micro switch for interactive applications.

Created by Matt Mets, the versatile BlinkyTape is designed to be the polar opposite of most LEDs, which are typically difficult to program, power, mount and enclose. Indeed, BlinkyTape is a one meter long, full-color light tape controlled by a custom light processor, with both power and communications provided by a built-in micro-USB connector. Meanwhile, an on-board button allows for simple interactions such as choosing between effects.

“BlinkyTape is flexible, so you can easily integrate it into any shape your project needs,” Mets explained in a recent Kickstarter post. “[The device] also comes enclosed in weatherproof silicone, so it’s suitable for outdoor use.”

Perhaps most importantly, patterns can be stored directly on the BlinkyTape, so there’s no need for a dedicated computer. Meaning, taking designs on the go is as simple as plugging the BlinkyTape into a USB battery pack.

And although BlinkyTape is pre-loaded with a number of colorful patterns, users can design their own via PatternPaint, with a comprehensive music reactive mode fully supported.

“The BlinkyTape uses the same ATmega32U4 MCU you will find in the Arduino Leonardo and can be programmed using the same easy-to-learn Arduino programming environment,” added Mets.

BlinkyTape recently managed to raise an impressive $79,924 on Kickstarter. Additional information about the project can be found here.

Bosch Sensortec GmbH adopts Atmel’s SAM D20

Last month, Atmel introduced the SAM D20, a comprehensive product lineup based on ARM’s Cortex -M0+. The new microcontroller series combines the performance and energy efficiency of an ARM Cortex -M0+ MCU with an optimized architecture and peripheral set.

In short, the SAM D20 offers a truly differentiated general-purpose lineup that is ideal for a wide range of low-power, cost-sensitive devices, such as GPS trackers, appliance controllers, intelligent remotes and optical transceivers.

Key hardware specs include:

• 48MHz operation, 2.14 Coremark/MHz
• Single-cycle IO access, supporting a pin toggling frequency up to 24 MHz
• 8-channel event system
• <150µA/MHz, <2µA RAM retention and RTC
• Choose between internal/external oscillators and on-the-fly clock switching
• Up to eight 16-bit Timer/Counters, 12-bit 350ksps ADC and 10-bit DAC
• Peripheral touch controller (PTC) supports up to 256 channels
• Real Time Clock (RTC) and calendar with leap year correction

Although Atmel’s SAM D20 only recently hit the market, the ARM-based MCU has already been adopted by industry heavyweight Bosch Sensortec GmbH.

“Customers for our next-generation self-contained 9-axis absolute orientation sensor (BNO055) will benefit from the same high performance with lower power consumption,” said Dr. Stefan Finkbeiner, CEO and General Manager, Bosch Sensortec GmbH, a global provider of micro-mechanical sensors for the consumer electronics market.

“Atmel’s SAM D20 device optimizes Bosch Sensortec’s sensor fusion software at a level that was not previously possible.”

To be sure, the BNO055 is the first in a new family of Application Specific Sensor Nodes (ASSN) implementing an intelligent 9-axis “Absolute Orientation Sensor,” which includes sensors and sensor fusion in a single package. By integrating sensors and sensor fusion in one device, the BNO055 frees users from the complexities of multivendor solutions. This means more time can be spent on product innovation, including novel applications such as wearable hardware. It is also the perfect choice for augmented reality, more immersive gaming, personal health and fitness, indoor navigation and any other application requiring context awareness.

Additional information about Bosch’s BNO055 can be found here – and you can read more about Atmel’s SAM D20 here.