Digital control meets intelligent analog to streamline design

Microchip Technology has introduced two new microcontroller families designed with customer innovation in mind. The new PIC16F18446 family of microcontrollers are perfect components for use in sensor nodes. Designed with versatility in mind, the device and its integrated ADC2 runs from 1.8V to 5V, providing compatibility with the majority of digital sensors and analog output sensors. The 12-bit ADC2 does its filtering autonomously, offering more accurate analog sensor readings and higher-quality end-user data. Because the ADC2 can wake the core only when needed, instead of on a pre-determined schedule, the power consumption of the system is decreased, making this MCU perfect for battery-powered applications. This power-saving capability also allows sensor nodes to run on small batteries, reducing end-user maintenance costs and the overall design footprint. The introduction of the ATmega4809 offers a new series of megaAVR microcontrollers designed to create highly-responsive command and control applications. The processing power of the integrated high-speed ADC allows faster conversion of analog signals resulting in deterministic system responses. As the first megaAVR device to incorporate CIPs, the device can execute tasks in hardware instead of through software. "The adoption of the ATmega4809 in the next-generation Arduino board strengthens our partnership and brings the benefits of CIPs and Intelligent Analog to the Arduino platform," said Steve Drehobl, vice president of Microchip's 8-bit MCU business unit.