IoT hardware platforms

The Internet of Things is a network of embedded systems. Microcontrollers are not a new thing. The BIOS in a computer motherboard is a microcontroller that loads code from a peripheral. There are many platforms you can build your own embedded system on. The more popular and easy-to-use the platform is, the more limits you usually have. I’m so impressed by how the hardware development field has moved during the last decade, but also very disappointed with Microsoft’s lack of support for the .NET Micro Framework. Read more ›

IoT wireless networks

The Internet is a network for servers, desktops, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones. IoT is a network for microcontrollers. Microcontrollers can communicate via Ethernet, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or GSM, but none of these technologies were originally designed for battery-powered microcontrollers. There are other options you can consider when designing your hardware solution. These are designed specifically for embedded systems. Read more ›

How to recognize a defective chip by touch

I have been interested in the .NET Micro Framework since 2007. At the end of 2009, I bought my first board with a chip from GHI, on which the .NET Micro Framework is able to run. I was looking forward to writing an article comparing the development environment and software deployment to Atmel ATmega16 and GHI Embedded Master. However, I never dreamed that my first article on this topic would be about something completely different. Read more ›