Society of Robots - Robot Forum

Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: galannthegreat on March 30, 2009, 01:42:12 PM

Title: I need some help in choosing a MCU.
Post by: galannthegreat on March 30, 2009, 01:42:12 PM
I am getting started on my next project and I want to have a MCU that will be able to control 10-14 servos 4 or more object avoidance sensors, a camera for blob tracking, LCD (serial), and maybe some other little components.

I want to make my own board, and I want to finally get started with using AVR's, C compiler reccomendations (if there's one like or easy as using CCS C that'd be great), and which programmer to use.

Any info/help would be great.

Many thanks, Kurt.
Title: Re: I need some help in choosing a MCU.
Post by: offy on March 30, 2009, 02:48:42 PM
If you want to make your own, start with the $50 robot one, but go into eagle and design one with everything you want.

If you want to buy one the Axon has everything you need I think, or wait for the Axon 2
Title: Re: I need some help in choosing a MCU.
Post by: galannthegreat on March 30, 2009, 04:10:06 PM
I just need some part numbers that could support that and then some, maybe ones that others have used. and on the topic of the Axon, I will eventually get one but I'm more so on the DIY aspect of robot controllers.

PS I will need something that is powerful enough for my requirements and preferably in a socketable DIP pinout.
Title: Re: I need some help in choosing a MCU.
Post by: paulstreats on March 30, 2009, 04:28:29 PM
the mcu in this URL http://www.tincantools.com/product.php?productid=16133&cat=0&page=1&featured (http://www.tincantools.com/product.php?productid=16133&cat=0&page=1&featured) is quite expensive but incorporates a fast arm9 with additional memory and you solder header pins to make it pinout to a wide dip socket.

 It is expensive but there are similar type things coming out now that support PIC32's , and renesas mcu's you might find something similar with AVR's but look around for something like this, the boards are DIP compatible and you get high end performance(really required for blob tracking, ignore any low end mcu's like $50 robot board if you need advanced features)
Title: Re: I need some help in choosing a MCU.
Post by: galannthegreat on March 30, 2009, 06:12:48 PM
Thank you very much, I'll probably look into that ARM board.
Title: Re: I need some help in choosing a MCU.
Post by: galannthegreat on March 31, 2009, 11:51:14 AM
I am wondering for Atmels ARM7 based MCU's is there any good C compilers in which they can be coded with? and can I use a standard AVR programmer with them or do I have to use the JTAG interface?

The MCU I have in mind is the AT91SAM7S512, or something within that series.