Electronic devices - rapid prototyping environments¶
There are many platforms that can be used for rapid prototyping of electronics devices, in this article I will write about two of them which are quite popular.
Arduinio¶
Arduino is an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. It’s intended for artists, designers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments.
What is inside Arduino?¶
version 2009
ATmega168/ATmega328
16 KB Flash Memory (ATmega168)/32 KB Flash Memory (ATmega328) (2 KB are used by bootloader)
1 KB SRAM(ATmega168)/2 KB SRAM (ATmega328)
512 bytes EEPROM (ATmega168)/1 KB EEPROM (ATmega328)
14 digital input/output pins (of which 6 can be used as PWM outputs)
6 analog inputs
16 MHz crystal oscillator
USB connection
power jack
built-in LED
ICSP header
reset button
I2C support
Some helpful links on Arduino¶
Inspirations for cool projects¶
Projects listed above, were made using ATmega32:
Sun Spot¶
Project Sun SPOT (Small Programmable Object Technology) was created to encourage the development of new applications and devices. It is designed from the ground up to allow programmers who never before worked with embedded devices to think beyond the keyboard, mouse and screen and write programs that interact with each other, the environment and their users in completely new ways. A Java programmer can use standard Java development tools such as NetBeans to write code.
What is Sun Spot¶
Read: What is SunSPOT - Introduction, it has many nice features
Embedded Development Platform
Easy to program - Java top to bottom
It has Wireless Communication (Overlay Network - CTP, IPv6/LowPan ; Mesh Networking - AODV, LQRP) ; Multi-hop Over the Air Programming
Built in Lithium Ion battery charged through USB
In Kit there are two SUN Spots + base station (base station is only processor board without sensors).
What is inside¶
180 MHz 32 bit ARM920T z 512K RAM SRAM i 4M Flash.
2.4 GHz IEEE 802.15.4 support
USB interface
light sensor ; temperature sensor ; 8 colour leds ; inputs/outputs ; ADC ; 2 buttons ; accelerometer
It is based on open hardware and schematics.
Schematics can be downloaded from here, and software from here. Sun Spot runs Squawk VM, software is written in Java (there is special version of NetBeans IDE) - checkout sources to get some details.
There is some nice tutorial: how to use emulator.
Sample projects based on Sun Spot¶
Conclusion¶
Arduino¶
Great for start - cheap (remember you can damage device during development process)
A lot of tutorials, references, sample projects
Many people use this!
Some SDK is provided
Sun Spot¶
Sun Spot is more powerful out of the box
Perfect for creating mesh networks, sensor network or something like that
Programmable in Java - you can use NetBeans
It is not good for start - quite expensive, but has many feature built in
Hardware is inside case - ready to use outdoors
It is a pity that I don’t have enough time to start playing with this stuff.