AVR64DD32 Curiosity Nano – Make: DIY Tasks and Concepts for Makers

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The AVR64DD32 Curiosity Nano is an analysis board from Microchip that showcases a comparatively new chip not at the moment discovered on every other microcontroller improvement board. Though we regularly consider analysis boards as clunky affairs with restricted capabilities, Microchip has made their analysis boards maker-friendly. The board options an on-board programmer and debugger that gives a USB interface to the pc. There are two rows of through-hole vias for soldering on pin headers and there are castellations alongside the sting do you have to determine to floor mount it. The eval board resembles an Arduino Nano in type and performance, however they aren’t pin appropriate.

The AVR64DD32 chip discovered on board has options not discovered on older AVR-based microcontrollers. Essentially the most notable function is that the chip can function its I/O at two completely different output voltages. It achieves this by giving one I/O port, related to 4 pins, a separate energy provide enter. Thus you may run the board at 5V whereas reserving 4 pins for 3.3V peripherals, or vice versa. The chip additionally has as much as 4 configurable look-up tables that may be related to its pins. This lets you take some exterior high-speed logic and produce it contained in the chip. Different options embrace a 12-bit ADC and a 10-bit DAC. Chips within the AVR DA line and the AVR DB line have extra peripherals which can be value a glance; Curiosity Nano boards can be found for each.

When the Curiosity Nano is first plugged right into a USB port, the default program on the board begins blinking an LED. Additionally, the on-board debugger mounts itself as a USB mass storage machine. Two textual content recordsdata within the mounted machine provide the present standing of the board, and the board model info. There may be additionally an HTML file that redirects your browser to the product web page for the board on Microchip’s web site. At this level you should use drag-and-drop programming with the board, however solely in case you have a pre-compiled (HEX) binary. It’s also possible to difficulty instructions to the debugger by placing them in a textual content file and dropping it onto the drive. The debugger can set the on-board voltage regulator to 5V, 3.3V, or 1.8V to run the chip and its I/O at any of these voltages.

The AVR64DD32 Curiosity Nano resembles an Arduino Nano in type and performance, however they aren’t pin appropriate.

To check out programming the board, I began with MPLAB X IDE, Microchip’s improvement atmosphere for the microcontrollers they produce. The IDE mechanically detects the hooked up Curiosity Nano machine and masses hyperlinks to documentation and instance code for the board. I like to recommend studying the {Hardware} Customers Information for a extra detailed overview than we give right here. The primary instance to go to is the “Out-of-the-box” code that’s operating by default. To get this code you should use MPLAB’s Git integration below the Staff menu to get the code from Microchip’s GitHub repository. The venture will complain about lacking modules however you may comply with the prompts to right this.

It seems the blinking gentle has three modes, and you may swap between modes by giving the board directions over serial by means of the debugger. The documentation for the instance code steps you thru easy methods to open a serial connection to the board. The instance code’s directions are usually clear, though the directions for the information visualizer appear to be out of order. In case you are new to MPLAB, you’ll have difficulties. Whilst you can program the board from Microchip Studio (previously Atmel Studio), It seems the instance code for this board has not but been ported to a Microchip Studio venture.

Help for this board in Arduino IDE is nearly prepared. The Curiosity Nano boards with AVR DA and AVR DB chips are supported through a third-party board definition, however AVR DD help has not been added at time of writing. Evidently all that was lacking within the current launch was the ultimate pin assignments, which are actually sure with the discharge of the chips and this board.To essentially kick the tires on the facility choices, it would be best to learn the aforementioned {Hardware} Customers Information rigorously. Particulars on easy methods to get the debugger to vary the board voltage are discovered there. Additionally detailed is easy methods to use the second voltage enter, VDDIO2, to function port C at a distinct voltage from the remainder of the board. In brief, you’ll have to take away a resistor and join an exterior energy provide for the second I/O voltage. Two different objects within the information value mentioning are directions on easy methods to disconnect the on-board debugger from the microcontroller to make use of it to program different Atmel chips, and full schematics for the Curiosity Nano board. In all, I discovered the documentation very helpful and remarkably full.

Standout options: 

I/O can function at two voltages without delay

Built-in LUTs convey exterior logic onto the board

Built-in debugger brings drag and drop to AVR

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