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Brazilian Devs Launch Tiny $1 STEM-Oriented Microcontroller Board On Indiegogo (hackerboards.com)
DeviceGuru writes: A team of Brazilian developers has just launched an open-source microcontroller board called the "One Dollar Board," that's so simple and inexpensive that it can be distributed as standard teaching materials to kids in schools all over the world. The tiny board appears to contain a single 8-pin microcontroller chip, along with a handful of passive components, making it considerably more simple and affordable than the similar STEM-oriented and open-sourced BBC Micro:bit board. More details about the One Dollar Board are on its Indiegogo campaign page, where you can get one for a contribution of $1 (duh!), plus unspecified shipping and import duties.
Well, is there any (computer) hardware which is *not* "STEM-oriented". WTF is that even supposed to mean? Is that a passive aggressive euphemism of "it's for nerds, duh"?
How is it STEM oriented? I mean, I get the T for tech, but that applies equally to any computer. What about this is in any way specialized toward Science, Engineering, and Math?
So call it open spec hardware. Can we get back on topic now?
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Read about this on CNX. A commenter pointed out that there are already lots of Arduino compatible boards available on Ebay.
"I bless every day that I continue to live, for every day is pure profit."
Not until they write an open apology and beg for my forgiveness.
The pro mini's are about 1.25$ atm, arduini nanos with usb port are 1.75$, and the cheapest stm32 boards (which also have arduino ported to them) are about 2$ (and far more powerful than an arduino nano).
What the hell is this project possibly thinking of being able to add to that (except for high shipping costs, since i doubt that unlike the chinese prices i quoted above, i doubt theirs will include shipping).
Open source hardware means you get the actual implementation, not just the specs: machine readable design files, which you can feed into your production lines.
No it doesn't. It means that between the engineer and customer, marketing got involved.
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
Only your open forgiveness is good enough.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
Here is your answer: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open-source_hardware
Hardware doesn't have source code.
Wrong, analog hardware may not have source code, but digital hardware like microcontrollers and CPUs are written in hardware programming languages like Verilog (syntax similar to C) and VHDL (syntax similar to Ada).
Watched the video and step three is entering the code provided on the board into something(?) I assume the IDE? Or maybe to register it on their website? It wasn't terribly clear, about a lot of things.
Also while I wish them all the best, as many others have observed there are already a lot of cheap/simple alternatives available.
now with a free zika virus sample in orders of one or more!
/I'm sorry
You clearly have no idea how digital logic circuitry is made. Yes, a compiler takes your description of the logic in source code and programs the programmable digital logic. Or in the case of something like a CPU, it will actually create the layout of the gates to be lithographed.
I don't think anyone has implemented it any other way since the 1980s at the latest.
Well, this particular hardware doesn't come with source code.
Yes, a synthesiser takes your description of the logic in source code and synthesises the digital logic. FTFY.
You don't know what you're talking about, that's OK though... you're a digital guy and can only count to one.
"Source" is not an exclusive word for source code.
Oops, clicked wrong reply. The reply was supposed to be a reply to the original message.
I'd have a bunch of those and use them as give-away business cards / presentation USB / Car windows ICE scraper.
What this world is coming to - is for you and me to decide.
Digital isn't logical.
The future is analog!
Technically, these languages are called hardware description languages (HDLs), mister turd brain. But they have a similar model to compiled software programming languages where you write the source code and feed it to a compiler which then figures out what digital logic elements are needed and how to connect them. So, very similar to compiling your C program (verilog code) into machine code *.exe (net list: consisting of primitive digital logic like AND, OR, XOR gates and flip-flops and how they're connected).
and more. $2 gets you the cut down version. what is the point of this new board again other than a cash grab?
That's how I build my power supplies, with flip flops and logic gates!
These boards are so minimal, you could as well buy a microcontroller with a not too miniaturized package and solder some wires on it.
Since I can buy an arduino or ESP8266 for essentially the same price what is this getting me besides some new unsupported hardware?
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
You can now get some models of the ESP8266 board for under $2, and it's both Arduino compatible and it has Wi-Fi. It's rather incredible, actually.
"I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." - Mark Twain
> Well, is there any (computer) hardware which is *not* "STEM-oriented".
The best-known computer hardware in the world isn't science, engineering, or math oriented, it's consumption and marketing oriented. I suppose it's "technology" in a sense.
It's like the $1.41 (eBay price) Digispark, but they've added "STEM" on it, so teachers will want it. :-)
esp8266, hell yes! Lua? GAG!
Use Arduino esp8266 for the most fun with IoT.
No need to learn a new thing like Lua.
Certainly ! With the One Dollar Coin --- details at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
Although you have a point on RTL, much more is needed to deliver a RTL design to chip level. And most of those designs are also fab-dependant - a 24nm bulk to be manufactured at let's say TSMC is different from a 24nm bulk at Samsung.
There is not much difference between analog and digital here. Unless your plan is to use an FPGA for the digital part - but even there, your luck may vary depending on the FPGA manufacturer and tools.
Alvie
I guess the answer is "no."
It used to be, only Liberal Arts majors, artists, poets, sculptors, athletes, trades people, businessmen, and musicians could get their hands on, or knew anything about microcontrollers.
First, the $1 is misdirection: You still need a real computer to do anything with this. Second, ATTINY85-based boards with similar connectivity are about $1.50 for a single on Ebay including shipping from China. Search for "Digispark" (which was a Kickstarter project that produced CC-BY-SA 3.0 open software and hardware and got $300'000 for the $5000 asked). And the Digispark works with the Arduino IDE. I have a few.
Bottom line: These people are years late to the game and there is absolutely nothing revolutionary or new in what they are trying to do. In fact, they could be trying to repackage the Digispark.
Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.