Production of microcontroller exceeds several billions pieces per year. If you look very carefully, you'll see that almost every device in working and living environment contains it. The microcontroller is easy to use,. You do not need to be an expert to use it in a project. Basic knowledge of electrical engineering, electronics and digital circuits are sufficient to begin work with microcontrollers. When the project starts, only the imagination is the limit for the achievements, Microcontrollers are inevitable component of all future projects. Therefore, the modern experts need to commit themselves to meet their design, performance, features and use. The challenges and beauty of creation with microcontrollers can not miss.
There are many manufacturers in the world of microcontrollers. Some stand out extraordinary quality and capabilities of its products, but there is a lot of those who make good copies of global brands. The most famous microcontrollers are the Arduino (Italy), PicMicrocontrollers (USA), PICAXE (United Kingdom), Basic Stamp 2 and Propeller from Parallax companies in the USA. Microcontroller BasicStamp2 is accompanied by a suitable, practical and easily applicable manuals. The one, which follows, completely relies on the original manual of the Parallax compan as excellent way to gain basic practical knowledge about microcontrollers and their application. Basic Stamp microcontrollers are designed to be used in projects that have embedded systems with some degree of intelligence. Each BASIC Stamp contains interpreter chip, built-in memory (RAM and EEPROOM), a voltage regulator, a number of input and output general purpose pins and a set of built-in mathematical and I / O pin operations. Each BASIC Stamp is able to execute thousands of instructions per second, and is programmed with an adapted version of the Basic programming language.
Microcontrollers can be defined as an integrated electronic circuitry (IC). IC are, in general, a set of a large number of electronic circuits, which have several connections for external communication. Each integrated circuitry is designed for a specific function. To apply an IC, one must know its functions that should be performed as well as requirements dictated by the input and output devices (peripherals). Microcontrollers are integrated circuitry, but there are fundamentally different from any other IC. Microcontrollers are a class apart, and with them the designer hasn't in mind a specific task. When you buy one, you does not require it to have special purposes, but you can configure it as needed. Not only do the same microcontroller can be configured to a variety of tasks, but also its specified function can be changed by programming for other purposes. The discovery of the integration circuit which can be designed to any task, MICROCONTROLLERS, is a great idea, the basis of "second digital revolution"
Programming microcontrollers depends on the manufacturer. They usually, for their modules, create new programming languages, often adapt or merely use existing one. Also, the company Parallax for module Basic Stamp 2 modified Basic programming language and called it PBASIC, while for its module Propeller (processor with multiple cores) created special programming language SPIN. For programming microcontrollers in the initial stage of their developmebt is used Assembly programming language. Today are in use Python, C ++, C, CSharp and other powerful programming languages. Basic Stamp microcontrollers are able to execute thousands of instructions per second. PBASIC is a simple programming language, suitable for teaching and is well adapted to the architecture of the Basic Stamp microcontroller. PBasic holds numerous instructions present in other versions of Basic, but also a lot of functions specialized in the use of BasicStamp2. Programming BasicStamp microcontrollers used BasicStamp Editor, which is installed on all Windows platforms. .
"The second digital revolution" is a milestone in the development and application of information technology and involves the embeded microcontrollers, in programmed and controlled devices. Manufactoring machines, heavy constracrion machinery, land, sea and air transportation equipment, telecommunications, home appliances, computers, measurement and observation instruments, all everything, are using microcontrollers to take considerably more powerful features, higher functionality, much better quality, greater durability and safety. Spatially connected objects and remote control equipment in them (Internet of Things) by using the Internet brings a whole new dimensions of work and life. "The second digital revolution" brings new standards in education also. Experts must have knowledge in different areas, in order to meet the growing creative challenges. This section is intended to illustrate the application of microcontrollers in devices and machines.