The Wasp
By Fred Eady
Embedded
Processor Takes
The Sting Out of C
Mastering the C programming
language has its advantages. The
power of the C programming
language can be brought to bear on
personal computers,
microprocessors, and
microcontrollers. If you’re already a
C expert, you’ll be interested in the
hardware we’re about to discuss. On
the other hand, if you’re a hardware
guru and want to know more about
how C and an AVR microcontroller
work together,
we’ve got
something for
you, too.
52 SERVO 09.2010
A Silicon Wasp
The SOC Robotics Wasp Embedded Processor you see
in Photo 1 can’t fly on its own. However, it is compact
enough to be part of just about anything mechanical that
takes to the air. The Wasp printed circuit board (PCB) comes
in at 1.472 x 1.152 inches. Loaded with its native
electronics only, the Wasp weighs in at six grams.
The Wasp’s intelligence is provided by an Atmel
ATmega644 microcontroller. The ATmega644 comes from
the showroom floor with 64 KB of in-system self-programmable Flash program memory, 2 KB of EEPROM,
and 4 KB of internal SRAM. I could go on and on extolling
the virtues of the ATmega644. However, the idea behind
the Wasp’s design is to shield the C programmer from the
ATmega644’s internal intricacies while allowing the C
programmer full access to the microcontroller’s resources.
The Wasp can also be outfitted with members of the
ATmega16 and ATmega32 families.
The Wasp is as power-stingy as it is small. When it’s
“flying,” the Wasp needs only 12 mA or so to stay in the
air. When it’s sitting on the nest, it consumes 0.6 mA. Like
its insect counterpart, the Wasp’s power consumption is
dependent on how fast it is being clocked and what on-chip
peripherals are powered up. This extremely low power
