AVR32 - The New 32-bit Stud on the Block

Atmel recently announced a 32-bit controller architecture, the AVR32. With multiple execution units, the AVR32 32-bit RISC processor core is designed to do more processing per clock cycle.

Atmel claims that the AVR32 CPU executes about three times as much processing per clock cycle as its nearest competitor (and that would be ARM?). Often such announcements remain vaporware, but Atmel has just released a piece of real silicon, AT32AP7000.

With a 256 CABGA footprint, its bye bye as far as the hobby community is concerned. Although one can evaluate the processor with the STK1001 and STH1002 MCU daughterboards. Evaluation kits (STK1000) and other tools have been released and should be available with vendors.

Free software tools can be downloaded right off the Atmel website. The tools include AVR32 Studio (simulator and IDE), AVR32GCC and JVM, currently available under Linux OS. A quick way to download the
entire package is this ISO CD image.

Dhananjay V. Gadre

Posted by Dhananjay V. Gadre at 11:39 AM  Permalink