Author Topic: Arduino Vs. Regular Microcontroller  (Read 1564 times)

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Offline kaitriasTopic starter

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Arduino Vs. Regular Microcontroller
« on: March 11, 2013, 11:08:49 PM »
If I understand the $50 robot tutorial right... that microcontroller used in the tutorial is customized with different parts like capacitors and stuff like that right?  If I bought an Arduino, will it have the same functions if I built my own micro controller. If not can I add the electronics to it?

One last question... If I had a microcontroller, do I still need a motor controller?

Offline jwatte

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Re: Arduino Vs. Regular Microcontroller
« Reply #1 on: March 11, 2013, 11:37:45 PM »
An Arduino would replace the microcontroller of the robot. The code would have to be slightly modified and re-built to work on the Arduino instead of the microcontroller.
You still need a motor controller, because the motor controller takes the relatively weak signals from the microcontroller (only enough to light up a LED) and uses them to turn on/off the relatively heavy load of the motor. Trying to drive a motor directly from a microcontroller would likely fry the chip.

 


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