Microchip launches Innovative Development Platform to Continue driving 8-bit MCUS

     Microchip Technology, a leading global provider of integrated microcontroller, mixed-signal, emulator and flash memory proprietary solutions, announced that it has expanded its development platform to support its growing portfolio of innovative 8-bit PIC microcontroller (MCU) products with kern-independent peripherals (CIP). Designers can use these CIPs in combination to enable autonomous execution of multiple application functions, while they can also be interlinked with a growing number of integrated intelligent simulation peripherals. Because these functions are determined and reliably performed in hardware rather than software, CIP significantly improves system performance far beyond traditional MCU products.

     To further reduce development time for the next generation of MCUS, Microchip has released version 3.0 of its latest free graphical programming environment, the MPLAB® Code Configurator (MCC), and added three new development boards to support it. The Curiosity development Board is an entry-level, cost-effective tool with an integrated programmer and debugger and multiple options for easy external connectivity. The Explorer 8 development kit is an integrated tool to quickly validate design ideas and supports the widest range of 8-bit PIC MCU models. The PICDEM™ Lab II development board is a comprehensive development and testing tool focused on analog and mixed signals. This development platform, in conjunction with kernel-independent peripherals, can significantly reduce overall design time.

     Steve Drehobl, vice president of Microchip's MCU8 division, said: "Over the past 20 years, most 8-bit MCU vendors have continued to release new products with virtually no change in features other than increased storage capacity, expanded pin counts, increased clock speeds, and more peripherals of the same kind. But embedded system design is no longer what it used to be, and today even the smallest applications are extremely complex. "We have increased the certainty and autonomy of peripherals on Microchip's 8-bit PIC MCUS, so customers can quickly respond to rapidly changing market conditions with little code rewriting and minimal validation time."

     All four tools work with Microchip's free classic MPLAB® X integrated development environment, and they are easily enhanced by Microchip's rich ecosystem of development partners such as MikroElektronika and Digilent. This platform enables designers to quickly and intuitively connect the enhanced 8-bit PIC MCU peripheral architecture with their application software, making it easier to build new features and applications.

     The MPLAB code configurator minimizes startup time by eliminating the need for in-depth data book study and heavy code writing, and the hardware CIP eliminates the need to validate functions in complex control systems. The new 3.0 version makes it easy for engineers to configure individual peripherals and advanced system features enabled by multiple CIPs with just a few mouse clicks. MCC 3.0 also adds support for Microchip's various libraries, such as TCP/IP, custom LIN drivers, and serial bootstraps, with future extensions planned to incorporate mTouch capacitive sensing, USB, and RF protocols. In addition, Microchip plans to release a software development kit that will allow designers to add their own "commonly used" 8-bit and 16-bit code segments and/or various libraries to MCC 3.0, thus simplifying integration and configuration.

     Curiosity is a fully integrated, cost-effective 8-bit development platform designed for first-time users, manufacturers, and anyone else who wants a feature-rich rapid prototyping board. It supports 8-bit PIC MCUS in 8, 14 or 20-pin PDIP packages, while the layout of the development board and external connectivity enable unimpeded access to any kernel-independent peripheral in each MCU. The external connector includes a mikroBUS socket that supports more than 100 MikroElektronika click subracks, and a PCB slot that allows users to easily add Microchip RN4020 Bluetooth LE modules for communication.

     PICDEM Lab II, a development and teaching tool, provides users with a large prototyping breadboard to easily experiment with different values and configurations for conditioning external analog signals and adjust components to optimize the system. This flexibility eliminates the hassle and expense of building a custom PCB early in the project. In addition, it is a modular development board that allows users to use one or more PIC MCUS for system design at the same time. Users can connect off-chip in any way they see fit, and off-board expansion options include several industry standard interfaces and a configurable connector system. The connection options include two MikroElektronika click subroutine slots, a 16-pin LCD module connector, and a 20-pin custom socket for custom plug-in boards. Microchip offers several experiments to get users started quickly, covering simple MCU configurations, power conversions, and Class D audio.

     Explorer 8 implements a wide range of 8-bit MCU capabilities, including HMI, power conversion, iot, battery charging, and many other applications. It has the best expansion capabilities in Microchip's 8-bit board lineup, with two Digilent Pmod interfaces, two MikroElectronika click slots, and two expansion sockets that allow designers to create custom boards as development needs change. Explorer 8 also supports Microchip's standard PICkit™ 3, MPLAB ICD 3, and MPLAB REAL ICE™ programmer/debugger.