Microcontroller use on the rise

Nov. 22, 2006
Use of 8-bit microcontrollers rose by 34% between 2005 and 2006, according to the third edition of a report called "Marketing to Your Embedded Engineering Customer - 2006."

The report by The William Baldwin Group, Palo Alto, Calif., bases its results on the responses of 640 engineers polled about the devices and tools they use. The survey also shows a substantial increase in the use of 32-bit MCUs (16.3%), while FPGA (field-programmable gate array) use dropped 8.8% and ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) use dropped 17.4%.

"Traditionally, FPGAs have been used as glue logic and to accelerate repetitive calculations," says study author Nancy B. Green. "Newer microcontrollers are so highly integrated that they may be reducing the need for glue logic. What's more, high performance MCUs that offer 150-plus MIPS and DSP instruction extensions may obviate the need for hardware acceleration. Shorter product life cycles may also be contributing to the shift. It's a lot easier to write code in C/C++ and run it on a processor, than it is to write code in C/C++ and then translate it to a hardware description language."

The study also found FPGA use is closely tied to ASIC use; 74% of FPGAs are used with an ASIC. And assembly language is not dead. Nearly half of engineers do some programming in assembly; 15% use it exclusively. Finally, engineers say controller features, tools, and technical support are equally important in selecting MCU vendors.

Sponsored Recommendations

Diaphragm Pump Technology Drives Industrial Washers

Jan. 23, 2025
Discover high-performance pumps and systems built to handle various gases, liquids, and chemicals with precision.

Harmonic Drive Actuators with Integrated Drive Technology

Jan. 17, 2025
Discover the future of motion control.In this video, we explore how integrated drive technology (IDT) from Harmonic Drive is revolutionizing the precision mo...

7 factors to Consider When Choosing the Right Gear Technology

Jan. 17, 2025
Choosing a drive involves several design factors that depend greatly on the task at hand. This top 7 list will guide you, whether your task requires precise and exact movements...

What are the Benefits of Actuators with Integrated Servo Drives?

Jan. 17, 2025
Actuators with Integrated Servo Drive Technology (IDT) simplify cable management, control hardware, and commissioning while achieving outstanding performance in a compact size...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Machine Design, create an account today!