Author: Eric Lin
Editors: Hwi-On Lee, Kevin Yao
Artist: Becky Li
From Smart Fridges, to your phone and computer, microcontrollers are in most electronics. But what are microcontrollers?
Microcontrollers are essentially small computers that manage a specific task or have a specific purpose. The first microcontroller was created by Gary Boone and Michael Cochran in 1971 for the TMS 1000, a calculator that became available in 1974. In response to the development of the TMS 1000, Intel began development of the Intel 8048, which was more optimized for control appliances like microwaves.
On an electronic board like an Arduino, the microcontroller is like the brain of the board. They differ from microprocessors which also act as a brain, as microcontrollers combine multiple components such as a CPU (Control center), memory (RAM and ROM), and peripheral interfaces such as timers and communications protocols, making them excellent applications that require real-time signal processing. The CPU in a microcontroller serves as the brain and executes the inputted instructions while the memory stores data, and the peripheral interfaces act as the sensory organs of the microcontroller that take in senses like sound and sight.
There are many different types of microcontrollers, such as ones with varying bit values of 8,16, 32, and 64 bit, increasing processing power with more bits. A bit is a unit of measurement for digital information, with it being the 0 and 1 values you see when you break a code down to its barest components. With 8 bits, you can make low-end simple sensors for humidity, and if you go up to 16, you can make more complex sensors and even motors. With 32 bits, you can process images; with 64, you look at smart appliances and computers used for complex equations. Of course, having a 64-bit microcontroller for a simple device like a microwave is overkill. Thus, engineers choosing the correct type to use is critical for efficiency.
There are many places you can find microcontrollers, one of which is on the very device you are reading this on. Microcontrollers are ideal for small electronics such as phones or smart watches, as well as bigger ones like personal computers, as their build allows them to take in real-time signals and operate nearly autonomously. Currently, the iPhone 15 uses the A17 Pro, which has a microcontroller using a 64-bit CPU, which means it can compute logical and arithmetic operations in 64 bits. In simpler terms, it can represent up to 18.4 quintillion data values (digital information) and allows for fast processing speeds. Not all microcontrollers need to be so powerful, and some are even designed to process small amounts of data at a fast rate, such as Pic microcontrollers which typically are 8 bits. They are used in robotics and some appliances, such as microwaves.
Of course, microcontrollers aren’t just for big tech companies to use — they are accessible to everyone. Many hobbyists use microcontrollers in simple tech builds such as smart mirrors or robotic arm kits. One simple way for you to get into microcontrollers and electronics in general is to purchase an Arduino kit, as it offers a great way to begin creating applications and learning how to think like an engineer. Microcontrollers found on the Arduino board can be easily programmed with C++, the coding language of the Arduino, and can be used for various builds, such as sensors, LED displays, biometric readers, and more.
In summary of what has been previously stated, Microcontrollers are small computers embedded in a system that act as the brains of the system and are used to perform specific tasks at an efficient speed. Their power to perform certain tasks depend on how much bit value they can process and come in 8, 16, 32, and 64 bits. Their use varies in many devices, from phones to microwaves, to even robotic arms, and is vital to engineering electronics.
Citations:
Agarwal, Tarun. “Microcontrollers Types : Advantages, Disadvantages and Their
Applications.” ElProCus - Electronic Projects for Engineering Students, 20 Jan. 2021,
Apple. “Apple Introduces Powerful New iPad Mini Built for Apple Intelligence.” Apple
Newsroom, 18 Oct. 2024, www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/10/apple-introduces-
GeeksforGeeks. “Microcontroller and Its Types.” GeeksforGeeks, 5 May 2023,
Hashemi-Pour, Cameron, and Ben Lutkevich. “What Is a Microcontroller (MCU)?” IoT
Agenda, 12 Aug. 2024, www.techtarget.com/iotagenda/definition/microcontroller.
Schneider, Josh, and Josh Schneider. “Microcontrollers Vs. Microprocessors: What’s the
Difference?” IBM Blog, 13 June 2024, www.ibm.com/blog/microcontroller-vs-
Schneider, Josh, and Ian Smalley. “Microcontroller.” What is a microcontroller?, 28 Aug. 2024,
www.ibm.com/think/topics/microcontroller#:~:text=A%20microcontroller%20unit
Comments