At the most basic level, a microcontroller development kit consists of a microprocessor on a circuit board, with very limited programming capacity. Today, most of the manufacturers of these products provide development software used to program the microcontrollers. The software generally runs on a PC.
Microcontroller development kits are widely used for prototyping purposes. The boards are minimal, but allow for a great deal of experimentation on the part of the builder. The microcontroller development kits available today include models designed to work with Bluetooth, USB and other interfaces out of the box.
Types of Microcontroller Development Kits
These kits come in numerous different designs for a multitude of applications, but here are some examples.
- Silicon Labs C8051F850DK: This is a microcontroller development kit including a mixed-signal microcontroller on a board that is set up with a USB interface. The USB interface is used by the debug adapter. It comes with a CD and instructions on how to use the device.
- USB to 4-Bit SPI/FT1248 Development DIP Module: This kit includes a printed circuit board with a DIP socket, a USB mini-B socket and the capacity to interface with a standard PC for programming and other purposes.
- C8051T606 MCU Development Kit: This kit works with the microcontroller of the same designation and contains debugging, cables, power adapters and other accessories. It comes with multiple boards, including ones that allow the microprocessor to be used to program other devices.
There are many other examples of microcontroller development kits that are used inindustry. As was mentioned, they are oftentimes used for prototyping, but can provideother functions, as well, such as interfacing with sensors and beyond.
Classifications of Microcontrollers
Microcontrollers can be classified in many different ways. The classification used will generally depend upon what the microcontroller development kit is being used for. For instance, a microcontroller may need to be selected based on having a particular architecture, and there are two classifications that are commonly used in that regard, von Neumann and Harvard. Von Neumann architecture can read and write data in both directions from the microcontroller
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