Figure 1: Smart devices now pushing beyond their typical realms and into our farms and cities (Source: Prathankarnpap/stock.adobe.com)
When examining the multitude of thriving applications that exist for 8-bit microcontroller units (MCUs), certain recurring themes become apparent: low-power consumption, affordability, and simplicity. Whether we are talking about automotive, industrial, medical, or consumer electronic devices, these themes tend to be front and centre. In a world where almost everything is becoming digital and interconnected, it is natural to assume that the simplicity of an 8-bit MCU would limit its applications due to increasing design complexity. However, in many sectors, the push for widespread and distributed intelligence is opening opportunities for effective yet less complicated solutions.
The key to this requirement is, of course, interconnectivity, along with the electronics industry’s ongoing efforts to decrease the size and power consumption of components. Take the example of a smart home, where early devices were predominantly mains powered, had significant localised processing, and usually attempted to incorporate as much functionality as they could while connecting over one of the many communication protocols that emerged.
While there are still many feature packed products that require mains power supplies, the popularity of compact battery-powered Internet of Things (IoT) devices has surged in recent years, fuelled by consumers’ demand for greater distributed intelligence. Devices such as proximity sensors for security and home automation systems and temperature and humidity sensors for intelligent climate control have proved popular. Unlike many earlier IoT devices, these solutions are compact, energy-efficient, and ideally powered by batteries, requiring only minimal processing power. In general, they transfer limited quantities of data to a central hub or the cloud, making them a suitable choice for incorporating 8-bit MCUs in their designs.
The demand for simpler yet widespread solutions that report to a more advanced cloud network is not limited to our homes. Smart cities are another trend on the rise, and low-powered industrial IoT (IIoT) nodes are needed to report data such as air quality, traffic density, and structural health monitoring. Once again, several of these deployment types are well-suited for 8-bit systems, as the effectiveness of the total system relies on a vast coverage, rather than peak processing power. For operators managing these sizable systems that require near-countless nodes, it is vital to reduce any unnecessary overhead, such as component expenses and power usage, as their combined impact can be significant.
The benefits of distributed intelligence are also becoming evident in the realm of smart agriculture. Farming, being a crucial aspect of our livelihood, is, unfortunately, an industry that faces inherent instability due to factors such as extreme weather events, water and fertiliser shortages, and crop diseases, all of which greatly affect a farm’s productivity. The growing demand for dependable and sustainable farming practices that can provide the food we need with fewer resources is fuelling the use of advanced technology.
Traditional farming practices are being revolutionised by the integration of cutting-edge electronics. Implementing networked livestock monitoring systems serves the dual purpose of monitoring herd health and allowing animals more freedom to roam. This in turn improves their welfare and reduces their impact on a specific area. Ultimately, this has a positive impact on the quality of food production.
In a similar manner, the data gathered from agricultural sensor networks is of immense value. It can serve as a guiding light for farmers, empowering them to make informed decisions that foster healthier crops with fewer resources. In the past, determining soil quality required manually collecting samples and conducting either a basic local test or a more accurate analysis in a laboratory. With the advent of smart, battery-powered soil sensors, farmers can now monitor the soil health of their fields in real time. By leveraging this data, farms can implement precise resource management strategies, including optimised water usage and reduced chemical inputs, resulting in enhanced sustainability of their operations.
In the harsh farming environment, 8-bit MCUs are, once again, the perfect choice. Microchip Technology, a leader in the world of MCUs, provides an extensive selection of 8-bit PIC® and AVR® MCUs specifically designed to cater to the requirements of rapidly evolving applications like smart cities and intelligent agriculture. These solutions surpass the capabilities of a standard 8-bit MCU and incorporate advanced features, including Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) and integrated analogue capabilities. As a result, designers can create cutting-edge products with functionality that exceeds that of traditional 8-bit powered solutions.
This ethos of adding functionality to 8-bit MCUs is something core to Microchip’s portfolio and is seen across devices such as the PIC16F18126/46 family. Within these MCUs are Microchip’s Configurable Logic Cell (CLC) peripherals. With an integrated CLC, designers can choose from various basic gates and sequential logic options that can be customised to match the specific logic demands of a wide range of applications. This flexibility enables the creation of custom signals by combining signals, eliminating the need to execute code. The seamless integration of the CLC results in a streamlined design process, lower Bill of Materials (BoM) costs, and enhanced power efficiency, helping to further propagate the deployment of low-power intelligence.
When assessing the current digital landscape, it becomes apparent that interconnected systems will be crucial for our future cities, farms, and homes. However, for these networks to become a reality, a diverse range of solutions is required. This includes both state-of-the-art, high-performance processors and affordable, low-power solutions; the latter is a domain that, for now at least, still belongs to the 8-bit MCU.
By Mark Patrick, Director of Technical Content EMEA, Mouser Electronics
