Silicon Labs expands 8-bit MCU toolstick platform

Silicon Laboratories, a specialist in high-performance, mixed-signal ICs, has announced the enhancement of its ToolStick platform. This is a fully contained evaluation system in a USB stick, enabling customers to evaluate and debug its C8051F mixed-signal 8-bit MCU families and also program code into blank devices. Silicon Labs’ new programming adapter provides a unique, risk-free environment to evaluate, program and implement the MCU in their systems.

The ToolStick system consists of three parts: a base USB adapter, a daughter card, and a programming adapter. The base adapter connects to the PC using a standard USB port.

The daughter card, specific to the device the customer needs, interfaces to base adapter and enables the user to develop and debug their program. Once the designer has evaluated the target MCU and application specific circuitry using the daughter card, the card can be disconnected and replaced with the programming adapter which transforms the ToolStick into a stand-alone programmer.

The software development environment includes the easy-to-use Integrated Development Environment (IDE), editor, debugger, Flash programmer as well as an evaluation copy of the Keil C compiler.

“Silicon Labs pioneered the concept of a ToolStick, and we continue to innovate with the goal of making our customers’ jobs easier,” said Derrell Coker, vice president of Silicon Laboratories. “There is no other suite of tools that offers a lower cost, more complete method to evaluate, develop, and program our powerful mixed signal microcontrollers for a variety of applications.”

Silicon Laboratories’ C8051F mixed-signal MCUs include up to a 100 MIPS pipelined 8051 CPU, up to 128 kB Flash memory and high-precision analog peripherals in packages as small as 3 x 3 mm. Configurable high-performance analog, fast core and in-system programmability provide designers with complete design flexibility, improved time-to-market, superior system performance and greater end product differentiation. Silicon Labs’ broad MCU portfolio is ideal for a number of applications in the industrial, automotive, communications and consumer markets.

Pricing and Availability

The ToolStick Starter Kit includes a base adapter and C8051F330 daughter card is $24.99. Additional daughter cards are available for $9.90. Programming adapter kits include the programming socket and additional base adapter are available for $69. All kits are available now and can be purchased from www.silabs.com.