30. January 2011 by admin.

123 STEPS FROM NEWBIE TO PIC PROGRAMMING GENIUS!“Smart” house features and “smart” appliances, are just some of the multitude of inexpensive PIC micontroller projects created by PIC expert Myke Predko.

More than just hours of fun, these exciting experiments provide a solid grounding in PIC microcontrollers and the skills needed to program them — from the ground up. Each experiment builds on those before it, so you develop a hands-on, practical understanding of microcontroller programming. You don’t need any knowledge of programming to get started. But by the end, you’ll be able to complete your own awesome projects!

123 PIC Microcontroller Projects for the Evil Genius:

• Introduces you to programming and customizing the PIC MCU step-by-step — you don’t need to be a whiz to get started, but you will be when you are finished
• Shows you how to set up your own PICmicro MCU (microcontroller) and development lab based on one inexpensive Microchip PICkit 1(R) starter kit
• Vividly explains the science and electronics underlying microcontrollers
• Gives you enjoyable step-by-step experiments that build your skills, one small increment at a time
• Teaches you to program PICmicros in both C and assembly language
• Shows you how to interface sensors, switches, LEDs, LCDs, and other commonly used electronic interfaces
• Offers step-by-step experiments that develop handy resource routines in assembly language
• Challenges you to stretch the limits of PIC MCU applications
• Suggests exciting directions you can take your new programming skills
• Supplies parts lists and program listings

Go to: www.books.mcgraw-hill.com/authors/predko for:

• Full source code for the experiments
• PC executable code
• Links to buy your own Microchip PICkit 1 starter kit
• Links to other resources

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Myke Predko is Test Architect at Celestica, in Toronto, Canada, a supplier of printed circuit boards to the computer industry. An experienced author, Myke wrote McGraw-Hill’s best-selling 123 Robotics Projects for the Evil Genius; PICmicro Microcontroller Pocket Reference; Programming and Customizing PICMicro Microcontrollers, Second Edition; Programming Robot Controllers; and other books, and is the principal designer of both TAB Electronics Build Your Own Robot kits.

Posted in Books | Print | 1 Comment »

25. January 2011 by admin.

Now on demand at http://eetimes.com/touch 

The EE Times Integrating Touch Interfaces virtual conference is the leading resource for engineers to learn about the latest hardware and software solutions, design techniques and algorithms that industry leaders are using in successful designs.

In this virtual setting, you can hear expert keynotes and participate in panel sessions and interactive chat to learn the latest about evaluating and choosing between several sensor technologies, touch surface materials, front and back-end analog and digital controllers, as well as device drivers, middleware, and application-level touch routines.

Posted in Tradeshows, Touch Sense, Video, Touch Sensing, Training & Education | Print | 1 Comment »

19. January 2011 by admin.

Get it at http://www.haidartechnology.com/GUI_Embedded_Boards.html

ezGUI-Lite is an advanced C programmable single computer board with touch screen operated graphical user interface. It is capable of driving any TFT QVGA (320X24) or WQVGA (480X272) LCD resolution with 18-bit or 24-bit digital RGB interface at 16 bpp color depth. Designed as fully-functional, compact industrial embedded computer powered by PIC32 Microchip microcontroller. This low-cost embedded computer is ideal for OEM applications where installation space is critical, such as embedded systems, scientific instruments, robotics, and portable data acquisition. The ezGUI-Lite can be commanded remotely from a host controller board or used stand-alone providing real-time control of dozens of analog and digital I/O lines.ezGUI-Lite comes loaded with Microchip Graphics (GUI) library, drivers, source code, sample code and more. It can be easily programmed using Microchip C32 C compiler (free download from Microchip website) and Microchip family of economical In-Circuit Emulators and programmers.

Posted in Haidar Technology, Graphics, Open Source, 32-bit | Print | 2 Comments »

18. January 2011 by admin.

from: http://www.microchip.com/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=1824&appnote=en555156

The BodyCom system is a new short-range wireless connectivity technology that uses the capability of the human body to transport a few signals that provide intuitive, simple, and safe communication between two electronically compatible devices.

Download the complete application note.

Posted in Body Communication, Application Notes | Print | 1 Comment »

18. January 2011 by admin.

Realterm is a terminal program specially designed for capturing, controlling and debugging binary and other difficult data streams. It is far better for debugging comms than Hyperterminal. It has no support for dialing modems, BBS etc - that is what hyperterminal does. Get it at http://realterm.sourceforge.net/ 

Posted in Terminal Program, Free Stuff | Print | 1 Comment »

17. January 2011 by admin.

From: http://www.em.avnet.com/evs/home/0,1707,RID%253D0%2526CID%253D50625%2526CCD%253DUSA%2526SID%253D32214%2526DID%253DDF2%2526LID%253D32233%2526BID%253DDF2%2526CTP%253DEVS,00.html

Register today to have an Avnet representative contact you to schedule this On-Ramp Technical Session.

Microchip has added new and improved solutions for your operational amplifier designs, and Avnet Memec Field Application Engineers (FAEs) are factory-trained to discuss the technical benefits of the various product families.

This On-Ramp Technical Session will introduce three new operational amplifiers and will allow attendees to ask questions specific to your current projects. The hands-on demonstration will provide a complete example of Microchip’s control of the analog signal chain.

Agenda

• High Precision Trimmed Operational Amplifier Family (MCP605x, 6x, 7x)
  • Family overview, technology and applications
• Auto-zero Operational Amplifier Family (MCP6V0x)
  • Family overview, technology and applications
• Operational Amplifiers with mCal (MCP65x)
  • Family overview, technology and applications
• MCP6V01 Reference Design Board demonstration
  • Thermocouple – Operational Amplifier – ADC – PIC18 – USB – SW on Laptop

Posted in Avnet, Op Amps, Training & Education | Print | 1 Comment »

14. January 2011 by admin.

Read this case study at http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/41415b.pdf

Posted in Case Study, Low Power | Print | 1 Comment »

9. January 2011 by admin.

A tip from http://www.microchipc.com/PIC_tips/PIC_tips.php

A bootloader is a lot quicker than a chip programmer. Instead of waiting a few minutes for a PICStart Plus to program, you can program it in-circuit in 15 seconds. It also reduces wear and tear, you dont have to take the chip out of the circuit each time forprogramming. 

Check out a more detailed explanation of the bootloader page.

Posted in Tips & Tricks | Print | 1 Comment »

8. January 2011 by admin.

Get it on demand at https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=registration.jsp&eventid=257559&sessionid=1&key=3F3B7F480D16C80AF513381335244D4A&sourcepage=register

Telehealth describes the use of embedded devices – including smartphones or tablets with 3G/4G connections, devices with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, or other wireless networking technology, or larger platforms with Ethernet – to help people connect with healthcare providers wherever they may be. The setting for a telehealth device can be a clinical environment such as a hospital or doctor’s office, or a home where caregivers aren’t always present. Expanding care from treatment to prevention is the ultimate goal of these new devices, and an expanding market is creating more possibilities to help people and make a difference. With multiple analysts projecting telehealth to grow rapidly into an $8B market in 2012, it’s time to explore the technologies inside telehealth devices and how designers can leverage what’s available now into creating the next breakthrough devices. We’ve drawn on experts in embedded computing with an emphasis in telehealth applications, and our guests on this live event include: 

Speakers 
Ron Riesenbach, VP, Emerging Business for the Ontario Telemedicine Network, on the challenges one of the world’s largest telehealth networks has faced and what they see as needs for connected devices now and in the future 

Steve Kennelly- Senior Manager, Medical Products Group- Microchip Technology, 
Steve has been with Microchip Technology since 1999 and leads the Medical Products Group, which addresses the specific needs of the medical device industry. Initially, he helped establish Microchip as a world-class supplier of automotive products in his role as a marketing manager in the Microchip Automotive Products Group. 

JP Auffret, Co-Founder and Director of the Center for Advanced Technology Strategy, on what projects like the Northern Virginia Regional Health Information Organization (NoVaRHIO) are working on to improve efficiency of care and availability of patient information in telehealth networks, and what that means for devices 

Paul Anderson is VP of Engineering at GrammaTech 
Paul manages GrammaTech’s engineering team and is the architect of the company’s static-analysis tools. He has helped a wide variety of organizations, including NASA, the FDA, the FAA, MITRE, Draper Laboratory, GE, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing, apply automated code analysis to critical projects. Paul has worked in the software industry for 18 years, with most of his experience focused on developing static-analysis, automated-testing, and program-transformation tools. 

Moderator 
Don Dingee, editor of Embedded Computing Design, on the overall trends for telehealth devices and eHealth. 

Posted in Low Power, Medical, Bluetooth, Wireless, Training & Education, Ethernet, ZigBee | Print | 1 Comment »

3. January 2011 by admin.

From :http://www.microchipc.com/PIC_tips/PIC_tips.php

There are two pieces of hardware that will make your PIC programming style a lot more powerful. Of course, the first one is an in-circuit-debugger, such as the MPLab-ICD or the MPLab-ICE2000. The benefits of these are well known. You can place breakpoints at any point, and have a look at variable values, and what program paths are taken. I will not talk too much about this, as everyone knows how useful they are.

The second piece of hardware is extremely useful.  In my experience, this piece of hardware has been instrumental in reducing errors in my code by 10%, and development time by 20%. Heres what this piece of hardware can do for you:

        ·         Turn any spare pin on your PIC micro pin into a detailed debugging tool.
        ·         Allow you to download a new program into your PIC16F87x in 15 seconds, in-circuit.Can you guess what this piece of hardware is? Its an RS232-to-PIC serial adaptor.

Posted in Tips & Tricks | Print | 1 Comment »