North Sales Meeting - Mbed

1



mbed Hands
-
On

Instructor Workshop


ESWEEK 2013


Agenda

•
mbed Hands
-
On Instructor Workshop

–
The ARM University Program
-

Khaled Benkrid, ARM UP Manager

–
Introduction to mbed
–

Professor James Hamblen Georgia Tech

–
Hands
-
on Lab 1: mbed registration and Hello World demo

–
Hands
-
on Lab 2: Bubble Level on mbed application board

–
Hands
-
on Lab 3: Interfacing with a temperature sensor & PC I/O

–
Hands
-
on Lab 4: RTOS and Threads

–
Instructor Demo Lab 5: Internet Clock

–
Instructor Demo Lab 6 : HTML5 Web sockets

–
Instructor Demo Lab 7 : Debugging and Breakpoints in offline compiler

–
Q&A with Khaled Benkrid and Joe Bungo ARM University Program

3

Introduction to mbed


James Hamblen

Georgia Tech ECE

Atlanta, GA USA


What’s happening in Microcontrollers?


•
Microcontrollers are getting cheap

–
32
-
bit ARM Cortex
-
M3 Microcontrollers @ $1

–
32
-
bit ARM Cortex
-
M0+ Microcontrollers @ $0.50

•
Microcontrollers are getting powerful

–
Lots of processing, memory, I/O in one package

•
Microcontrollers are getting interactive

–
Internet connectivity, new sensors and actuators


•
Creates new opportunities for microcontrollers

Rapid Prototyping

•
Rapid Prototyping helps industries create new products

–
Control, communication and interaction increasingly define products

–
Development cycles for microelectronics have not kept pace










3D Moulding

3D Printing

2D/3D Design

Web Frameworks

mbed.org
-

Rapid Prototyping for
MCUs

•
Fastest way to get started with ARM microcontrollers

–
Plug ‘n’ Play Hardware, Online Compiler

–
Get setup and run “Hello World!” in 60 seconds

–
Removes entry barriers to MCU technology

•
Focused on rapid prototyping for a diverse audience

–
DIP form
-
factor, High
-
level APIs, Developer website

–
Technology and trade
-
offs to enable fast experiments

–
Creates new applications for MCU technology

•
Launched at ESC Boston with live demo

–
Internet
-
enabled “Twittering Billy” read out tweets

–
An embedded internet device, prototyped in ½ day

–
Over ¼ million video views in first week!

mbed Rapid Prototyping Platform

•
Complete Hardware, Software and Web 2.0 Solution


Lightweight Online Compiler

Prototyping Form
-
Factor

Dedicated Developer Website

High
-
level Peripheral APIs

mbed Website

•
Dedicated Developer Web Platform

–
Custom Web 2.0 tools and environment focused on developers

–
Simple route to get started, comprehensive resources and support










http://mbed.org

mbed Compiler

•
Lightweight Online C/C++ Compiler

–
Web 2.0 browser
-
based IDE with personal workspace “in the cloud”

–
Nothing to install or configure, login from anywhere

–
Industry leading RVCT 4.1 back end. It is a real tool!

–
Very easy to use, great for students!

mbed SDK


•
C/C
++ SDK for ARM Microcontrollers

–
High
-
level
APIs and standard environment

–
Low
level control as needed

–
Portable
across different ARM silicon vendor MCUs

•
Built
on industry standard technology

–
ANSI/ISO
C/C++

–
CMSIS
Compliant

–
Compatible
with all major professional MCU tools

•
Open
Source

–
Released
under permissive Apache 2.0 license

–
Suitable
for commercial and non
-
commercial use

–
Managed
, maintained and tested by ARM


mbed API Library

•
High
-
level Peripheral APIs using C++ Classes

–
Trading a bit of memory and CPU performance for ease of use

–
Abstract software interfaces for controlling microcontroller hardware

–
Intuitive peripheral access, encapsulation of implementation details

–
Treat hardware and software the same








mbed
-
enabled Hardware


•
Expanding range of off
-
the
-
shelf mbed
-
enabled hardware

–
ARM Cortex
-
M0, M0+, M3 all represented; M4 TBA

–
All boards implement the mbed HDK

–
Hardware is designed and/or made by ARM or 3rd parties

–
mbed HDK enables anyone to build alternate board designs

mbed LPC1768 Microcontroller

•
Cortex
-
M3 MCU in a Prototyping Form
-
Factor

–
0.1” pitch DIP with “USB Flash Drive” interface and support
components

–
Nothing to install or configure, practical for breadboard and PCBs










What IO is there?

Courses that could utilize

an embedded computer

•
C/C++ Programing Class
–

Need easy to use full C++ support

•
Computer Architecture
–

Need C and ARM? Assembly Language

•
Microprocessor/Embedded Systems Design
-

Need C/C++, most
common I/O interfaces, Networking and OS support.

•
Senior Design Projects
–

Needs to be easy to add custom hardware
and build prototypes. Networking and RTOS needed in many
cases.

•
Elective Courses

–
Robotics/Mechatronics: Need extensive easy
-
to
-
use I/O support

–
Networking: Need Ethernet TCP/IP support for “Internet of Things” Devices

–
Operating Systems: Need RTOS (Open Source)


Using mbed at Georgia Tech

•
For the past two years, all undergraduate ECE students
purchase their own mbed computer board and a parts kit that
is used in several undergraduate classes for hands
-
on
laboratory assignments. Total cost is just under $100.

•
Supports full C/C++, ARM Assembly Language, Networking,
and an optional Operating System along with a wide range of
I/O interfaces.

•
The cloud compiler and a C++ I/O API library make it easy to
use

•
Student breadboards can be used to build custom embedded
systems and this also enables use later in design projects.

Students can work anywhere with mbed

•
A PC or Mac with a Wi Fi or wired network connection and a web browser
is all that is needed with the cloud compiler

•
Downloads new C/C++ code files just like a USB flash drive

•
Breadboard is powered by the USB connection (5V and 3.3V)

•
A Wi Fi to Ethernet bridge setup can even be used on a laptop for
developing and testing “Internet of Things” applications

•
Wiki eliminates requirement for a dedicated textbook on the device


ECE students working in hallway A traditional student laboratory setup

Rapid Prototyping using a Breadboard

GT student mbed Inventor’s Kit

Internet of Things Example:

NTP Clock on a Breadboard

Experience using mbed at Georgia Tech

•
The cloud compiler and breadboard approach works well and greatly
reduces the student computer and lab support issues. Breadboarding
provides increased flexibility for laboratory and design projects.

•
Higher
-
level I/O support with C/C++ APIs and wiki documentation enables
the introduction of embedded systems earlier in the curriculum.

•
Assembly Language, RTOS, and networking support enables future use in
additional undergraduate courses and senior design projects.

•
The majority of students wanted more embedded assignments and felt
that the breadboarding experience was worthwhile.


ECE Students working on mbed project


HKN mbed inventor’s kit sales

Breadboard or Baseboard?

•
A breadboard allows students to generate a custom hardware
design adding new parts as needed. There is some
educational value in having students connect parts. Most I/O
connections are serial, so few wires are needed.

•
The mbed module can also plug into a baseboard with an
assortment of parts already hooked up. To use parts on
baseboard a breadboard and jumper wires are not needed.
Can still run long jumper wires to a breadboard. Less time to
get started, but perhaps harder to use in design projects with
custom hardware needs.

•
The mbed application board is a new low
-
cost baseboard
option for mbed that will be used in the hands
-
on demos

mbed application board

1.
128x32 Graphics LCD

2.
5 way joystick

3.
2 x Potentiometers

4.
3.5mm Audio jack (Analog Out)

5.
Speaker, PWM Connected

6.
3 Axis +/1 1.5g Accelerometer

7.
3.5mm Audio jack (Analog In)

8.
2 x Servo motor headers

9.
RGB LED, PWM connected

10.
USB
-
B Connector

11.
Temperature sensor

12.
Socket for for Xbee (Zigbee) or RN
-
XV (Wifi)

13.
USB
-
A Connector

14.
RJ45 Ethernet connector

15.
1.3mm DC Jack input


http://mbed.org/cookbook/mbed
-
application
-
board

Connecting up the TextLCD

•
The LCD module has an SPI interface and a few digital outputs
for reset, chips select and so on







•
mbed keeps it simple

–
Libraries in Cookbook Wiki for many common I/O devices

–
Standard C/C++ interface via printf

–
Hello World :
http://mbed.org/users/chris/code/app
-
board
-
LCD



Hands
-
On Labs

•
First Connect to Wi
-
Fi
–

needed for cloud compiler!

–
Connect to “
Marriot_CONF
” using
auth

code: 98HKM

–
If above
not working, try
“
Marriot_GUEST
” using room number and
last name

•
Open the page below in a web browser:

https://mbed.org/users/4180_1/notebook/mbed
-
application
-
board
-
hands
-
on
-
demos
/



Note:
Keep this web page open while using the compiler in
another browser tab for links to import demo projects and follow
along instructions throughout the demos


ARM University Program
-

mbed workshop videos

•
http://
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgyFKd2HIZlaJM1b0Y
q0tvWnddQ7D6Dae



•
Application boards and
mbeds

are
available
at:
www.sparkfun.com/products/11695

•
Other sources at:

•
mbed.org/cookbook/
mbed
-
application
-
board#where
-
to
-
buy




Summary

•
There is huge opportunity for microcontroller applications

–
A major barrier to adoption is simple experimentation


•
mbed helps with getting started and rapid prototyping

–
Fast turnaround of experiments and prototyping new ideas

–
Try out new technology and new ideas

–
Easy for students to use

–
Handbook and Cookbook Wiki provide documentation and examples


•
Makes the technology very accessible for students

–
Hands
-
on demos will show a start to finish prototyping example

–
From getting a user started to enabling an application experiment

Q&A