chipKIT Platform Expands With Prototyping-Friendly PIC32-based Boards From Digilent, FUBAR Labs and Schmalz Haus; PIC32 MCUs With chipKIT USB Bootloader Also Available

Maker Faire Bay Area 2013

CHANDLER, Ariz.--Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MCHP), a leading provider of microcontroller, mixed-signal, analog and Flash-IP solutions, today announced from the Bay Area Maker Faire in San Mateo, Calif. the expansion of its Arduino™ compatible chipKIT™ platform ecosystem, with new tools from partners Digilent, Inc., the Fair Use Building and Research (FUBAR) Labs, and Schmalz Haus LLC. These new tools are based on Microchip's 32-bit PIC32 microcontrollers (MCUs) in prototyping-friendly, low pin count SOIC or SPDIP packages, which were previously more common in 8-bit MCUs, for the Arduino community. This enables all users-including hobbyists, students and professionals-to benefit from the PIC32's high performance, memory and integrated peripherals while using the basic hobbyist prototyping equipment that is found in most home workshops.

Digilent's chipKIT DP32 board features basic I/O and interface components, expanding the 32-bit chipKIT ecosystem while providing a low-cost, Arduino-compatible development platform with a great out-of-the-box user experience.

The chipKIT Fubarino™ Mini board, from the partnership between FUBAR Labs and Schmalz Haus, also provides a great option for Arduino-compatible development with 32-bit PIC32 MCUs, using a prototyping-friendly board form factor.

For those users who wish to build applications without a development board, Microchip is also making the prototyping-friendly PIC32 MCUs in PDIP packages available with the preprogrammed chipKIT USB Bootloader. Specifically, the preprogrammed PIC32MX250F128B is available in a 28-pin package. The advanced features on this 32-bit microcontroller include 40 MHz performance, 128 KB Flash and 32 KB RAM, along with integrated peripherals for touch sensing, graphics, audio processing, USB and advanced-control applications.

"This chipKIT platform expansion continues Microchip's long history of providing tools and solutions that are perfect for hobbyists, academics and professional engineers," said Derek Carlson, Microchip's vice president of Development Tools. "These new solutions are certain to remove barriers for users who are looking to take their Arduino-based applications to the next level."

Pricing & Availability

The chipKIT Fubarino Mini (part # TCHIP011) from FUBAR Labs and Schmalz Haus is available today for $19.95 each. It can be purchased from microchipDIRECT.

Digilent's chipKIT DP32 board (part # TDGL019) is priced at $23.99 each. It is expected to be available on May 17 at microchipDIRECT, and in June from Digilent's e-Commerce site.

The 32-bit PIC32MX250F128B MCU preprogrammed with the chipKIT USB Bootloader (part # TCHIP-USB-MX250F128B) is expected to be available on May 24, starting at $5.95 each, in single-unit quantities, from microchipDIRECT.

For more information on any of the above products, or for additional chipKIT resources, please visit the chipKIT Community Site at http://www.microchip.com/get/4NG7.