Microcontrollers

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We offer a wide choice of microcontrollers, including many types of 8-bit, 16-bit and 32-bit devices

Microcontrollers – also known as embedded controllers or MCUs - are compact integrated circuits designed to govern a specific operation in an embedded system. Typical microcontrollers include a processor, memory, and input/output (I/O) peripherals on a single chip.

Types of Microcontrollers

MCUs can be differentiated in several ways. Their bit size can range from simple 4-bit, 8-bit and 16-bit devices up to more complex 32-bit types. Architectures can be von Neumann (Single bus for instructions and data) or Harvard (separate data and instruction buses). Microcontroller processors can be based on complex instruction set computing (CISC) or reduced instruction set computing (RISC). Additionally, some MCUs use external memory, while others have embedded memory.

Factors to consider when choosing a microcontroller

Choosing a microcontroller involves trading off between processing performance and power consumption; MCUs with higher processing power consume more energy. Other factors include hardware architecture (Dual in Line or Ball Grid Array for example), memory capacity (ROM and RAM), hardware interfaces such as Bluetooth, camera or WiFi, software architecture – which operating systems are supported - and cost.