Servo - June 2008

New Products

NEW PRODUCTS

CONTROLLERS & PROCESSORS

USB Four Relay Controller

Use your PC to control just about anything with the USB Four Relay

Controller, from

Endurance Robotics.

This is a device which allows a user to control larger voltage devices via a PC. Each relay can be independently controlled and is capable of switching DC voltages up to 100 VDC at 5A and AC voltages up to 120 VAC at 10A. The Four Relay Controller is perfect for controlling small electronic devices and appliances.

The Controller features a USB to serial port interface and can be easily controlled and manipulated via free development software on most platforms. The open sample control software and API make it easy to get up and running quickly with the Controller.

The Four Relay Controller is Windows Vista compatible. Sample software, examples, videos, and API documentation can all be found at the Endurance Robotics website listed below.

For further information, please contact:

Endu_Rr_oan_bc_oe_tics

Website: www.endurance-rc.com

The MACH64 Programmable Logic Starter Kit

What’s a CPLD? CPLDs are chips that are internally constructed of an array or matrix of programmable logic units or blocks. Each cell can perform various logic functions. The power of CPLDs is

20 SERVO 06.2008

that with a software based tool you can write “code” that is compiled into a hardware description that is then downloaded and

Flashed into the

CPLD, changing its behavior to your exact specifications.

By mastering this technology, you can develop your own chips that run at blazing speeds, as well as design very complex systems that would be impossible with discrete TTL chips.

CPLDs are a great starting point for those interested in programmable logic technology and allow you to seamlessly move into their bigger brothers — Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) — when you’re ready. The MACH64 from Nurve Networks kit is two kits in one:

• A complete Lattice ispMACH 4064 series development kit with a built-in programmer which supports external targets, as well.

• The MACH64 is a powerful educational kit that teaches CPLD technology and programming from the ground up — applicable to any CPLD.

The MACH64 kit comes complete with everything you need to learn, experiment, design, and program with CPLDs. The included 250+ page manual starts off with the technology of CPLDs and then eases you into the ABEL Language used to program CPLDs. The numerous challenging hands-on projects include: basic logic gates, counters, state machines, ALU design, audio generation, NTSC, and VGA video generation, plus more.

Everything you need to build all the labs is included in the kit along with extra parts for your own creations (resistors, capacitors, LEDs, transistors, diodes). You can design your own chips.