{"id":2428,"date":"2014-10-13T15:54:46","date_gmt":"2014-10-13T19:54:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thinking.is\/?p=2428"},"modified":"2024-07-11T10:59:08","modified_gmt":"2024-07-11T14:59:08","slug":"selecting-a-microcontroller","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.daed.com\/?p=2428","title":{"rendered":"Selecting a Microcontroller"},"content":{"rendered":"

These days product design typically involves sensors, LEDs, displays, buttons or a touch screen, sound, data logging, and wireless connectivity. The lowest cost, lowest power, most flexible, and most compact approach to implement all of this is almost always a micro-controller.<\/span><\/p>\n

A microcontroller is a processor \u2014 a computer \u2014 that includes its program, memory, and most (or all) of its peripheral functions on a single chip, with embedded software to program and control its behavior. Microcontroller costs vary depending on part complexity and volume needed, ranging from $0.20 for a small, high-volume 8-20 pin part, up to $10 for a large, high-performance part with hundreds of pins and every imaginable feature. Selecting the best microcontroller for your product is challenging \u2014 there are large numbers of suppliers, options, features, and requirements to consider \u2014 but it is also critical.<\/span><\/p>\n

Selection Criteria<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

The first step to selecting a microprocessor is to understand the product application requirements. What does your product need to do? What are your communication requirements? USB, Ethernet, wireless connectivity? What peripherals do you need to support: \u00a0analog and digital I\/O, timers, display interfaces, or control for motors and other special functions?\u00a0 A primary requirement may be low power for longer battery life. Computational speed and memory are seldom an issue; 16- and 32-bit microcontrollers with processor speeds of 25-200 MHz are available with a range of memory sizes to fit almost any application.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many suppliers offer device families that can fill your needs; the differences are in the details<\/span> and in the tools required to develop software for them (often referred to as firmware when developed for microcontrollers). Development tools should be a key consideration \u2014<\/span>\u00a0you can expect to spend significantly more time and money on software development over the life of a product than on hardware design. While many suppliers offer free or low-cost development tools, some have restrictions and others require expensive systems for production development. Further, productivity enhancements, like sophisticated configuration tools, software libraries, and real-time operating systems (RTOS) will also contribute to product development and production costs.<\/span><\/p>\n

The good news is that microcontrollers continue to benefit from technology improvements: higher levels of integration, higher performance, lower power, smaller size, and lower cost. In fact, low-cost development boards work well as early functional prototypes. They help to jump-start software development, refine requirements, and reduce risk. However, engineers and management should be aware that while functional prototypes may be developed quickly, it takes much more time and effort to implement the design and software for the final product.<\/span><\/p>\n

Often it is best to stick with a microcontroller family that your developers are already familiar with. This reduces risk and shortens the learning curve during development. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important that your embedded software engineers be involved in the part selection \u2014 they understand the tools, applications, and performance requirements needed for a successful product.<\/span><\/p>\n

Our Approach<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

At Daedalus, our approach to selecting a processor is based on a series of questions:<\/span><\/p>\n