Microchip Announces Arduino chipKIT Prototyping Boards
May 16, 2013. Microchip Technology Inc., a provider of microcontroller, mixed-signal, analog, and flash-IP solutions, has announced the expansion of its Arduino-compatible chipKIT platform ecosystem, with new tools from partners Digilent Inc., the Fair Use Building and Research (FUBAR) Labs, and Schmalz Haus LLC. These new tools are based on Microchip’s 32-bit PIC32 microcontrollers (MCUs) in prototyping-friendly, low-pin-count SOIC or SPDIP packages, which were previously more common in 8-bit MCUs, for the Arduino community. Users—including hobbyists, students and professionals—can benefit from the PIC32’s high performance, memory, and integrated peripherals while using the basic hobbyist prototyping equipment that is found in most home workshops.
Digilent’s chipKIT DP32 board features basic I/O and interface components, expanding the 32-bit chipKIT ecosystem while providing a low-cost, Arduino-compatible development platform.
The chipKIT Fubarino Mini board, from the partnership between FUBAR Labs and Schmalz Haus, also provides an option for Arduino-compatible development with 32-bit PIC32 MCUs, using a prototyping-friendly board form factor.
For those users who wish to build applications without a development board, Microchip is also making the prototyping-friendly PIC32 MCUs in PDIP packages available with the preprogrammed chipKIT USB bootloader. Specifically, the preprogrammed PIC32MX250F128B is available in a 28-pin package. The features on this 32-bit microcontroller include 40-MHz performance, 12- KB flash, and 32-KB RAM, along with integrated peripherals for touch sensing, graphics, audio processing, USB, and advanced-control applications.
“This chipKIT platform expansion continues Microchip’s long history of providing tools and solutions that are perfect for hobbyists, academics, and professional engineers,” said Derek Carlson, Microchip’s vice president of development tools. “These new solutions are certain to remove barriers for users who are looking to take their Arduino-based applications to the next level.”
The chipKIT Fubarino Mini from FUBAR Labs and Schmalz Haus is available now for $19.95 each.
Digilent’s chipKIT DP32 board is priced at $23.99 each. It is expected to be available on May 17.
The 32-bit PIC32MX250F128B MCU preprogrammed with the chipKIT USB bootloader is expected to be available on May 24, starting at $5.95 each, in single-unit quantities.