Technical Definition

Microcontrollers are small electronic boards made up of various components. They

typically consist of a microprocessor, various types of memory, an oscillator, and IO
ports. Microcontrollers can be found with many more features to aid in certain
applications, but these are the most basic and major components.

Microprocessor
The microprocessor is a
small processor. It is the
computing unit of the
microcontroller, just as a
processor is the computing
of a computer. This is the
component that crunches
tells the rest of the components what
to do it.

unit
numbers and
to do and when

Memory
Two types of memory are always
found on a
microcontroller. The first of these is the
program memory. Program memory is
also known as ROM, or Read Only
Memory. This type
of memory cannot be written over
Figure 1. Microcontroller Components [2]
during program operation and
contains the instructions for the microprocessor to run. The second type of memory
is RAM, or Random Access Memory. This is where data is stored. It is used as cache,
much like how it is used in a laptop. Any data or intermediate results in a calculation
will be stored in RAM. Many microcontrollers have supplementary types of memory
such as EEPROM for extra storage of information and additional capabilities.

Oscillators
An oscillator is the component that provides the microcontroller with a clock pulse.
The pulse is generally generated by either a quartz crystal or a ceramic resonator.
These devices vibrate when a voltage is applied, creating a periodic signal to base
the clock off of.

Input/Output (IO) Ports

IO Ports allow the microcontroller to be connected to and to utilize the functionality
of additional electronics. Each port has pins that can be configured as either input
or output. Sensors can then be hooked up to input pins to monitor the data theyre
collecting. Motors can be hooked up to output pins so the microcontroller can run
the motor. These are just two simple examples of devices that can be plugged into
IO ports and used by a microcontroller.

Technical Description
Microcontrollers can be utilized in many different applications. Essentially, they
become the brain of many electronic devices. A user develops a program which is
compiled into assembly instructions that dictate
what the microcontroller will do. These instructions
are then loaded into the microprocessor to be run
and complete a task. The following are just a few
different areas where microcontrollers can be
employed.

Day to Day
The capability of these small devices can be utilized
in everyday life. Around the home, a microcontroller
could be programmed to operate outdoor lights or
sprinkler zones on a schedule. It could also be
hooked up to appliances such as a washer or dryer to
send a message indicating the cycle is complete.

Robotics
Microcontrollers are used
as robot brains.
Depending on the robot being built, the program to
control it can be as simple or
Figure 2. Sprinkler
complex as needed. Many
people use hobbyist type microcontrollers, such as
Arduino, to create small electronic cars or complete
further fun projects. On the other hand, in industry
microcontrollers can be used in robots that perform
actions such as loading paper into a printer or pressing
the buttons to test the printer. Microcontrollers make
great brains for these devices due to the ability to hook
Figure 3. Hobbyist
up various sensors to the IO Ports to monitor,
understand, or manipulate the environment they are in.

Medical

It may be clear by this point that

microcontrollers can be used for some pretty
neat things. They can also be used to help
people. There is an abundance of demand
for portable devices these days and the
medical field is a great place to have them.
Things such as insulin pumps are worn on
people who have diabetes and help to keep
their insulin levels in a safe range and a
small microcontroller could be used to
control them. Medical equipment is often
Figure 4. Medical
electronic and microcontrollers can be used to
control the function of them. Devices such as
ventilators, activity monitors, and blood pressure monitors all employ
microcontrollers as their brain.

References
[1]

http://apcmag.com/arduino-masterclass-part-4-build-a-mini-robot.htm/

[2]
http://www.mikroe.com/chapters/view/74/pic-basic-book-chapter-1world-of-microcontrollers/
[3]
http://www.ti.com/lsds/ti/microcontrollers_16-bit_32bit/applications.page