Lab 1 / 01.03.2012

Developing software and hardware for microcontroller based systems involves the use of a range of tools that can include editors, assemblers,compilers, debuggers, simulators, emulators and Flash/OTP programmers.

One has a variety of options for developing embedded systems.

Software Code for a microcontroller is written in a programming language of choice (often Assembler or C).

Programming in assembler involves learning a microcontroller's specific instruction set, but results in the most compact and fastest code.

Next the source code needs to be translated into instructions the microcontroller can actually execute. A microcontrollers instruction set is represented by "op codes".

Op codes are a unique sequence of bits ("0" and "1") that are decoded by the controller's instruction decode logic and then executed.

A cross compiler is a compiler capable of creating executable code for a platform other than the one on which the compiler is run.

Cross compiler tools are used to generate executables for embedded system or multiple platforms.

It is used to compile for a platform upon which it is not feasible to do the compiling, like microcontrollers that don't support an operating system.

Simulators try to model the behavior of the complete microcontroller in software. Some simulators go even a step further and include the whole system (simulation of peripherals outside of the microcontroller).

An emulator is a piece of hardware that ideally behaves exactly like the real microcontroller chip with all its integrated functionality. It is the most powerful debugging tool of all.

RoboPlus is a software to create a customized programme for every ROBOTIS product.

You may download from:http://support.robotis.com/en/software/roboplus_main.htmTo execute RoboPlus, .NET

FrameWork 3.5 or higher version is required. It may be installed separately or within RoboPlus.

A Task is a set of motions to perform a certain actions. RoboPlus refers to the source code that specifies tasks to be executed by the robot as  'Task Code'.

The robot moves according to your task codes.  RoboPlus Task is a software to make writing these task codes easier.

See “RoboPlus Task” from the software.

A motion is a set of actuator position and speed data necessary for robot movements.

In order for the robot to move, a motion file is required.  A suitable motion file must be downloaded for the assembled robot.

Its file extension is .mtn. See “RoboPlus Motion” from the

software.

A task code file is a program while a motion file is data.  For better understanding, let us think about MP3 players and MP3 files.  If there were no MP3 players, you will not be able to listen to music because MP3 file could not be played.  The result is the same when there is an MP3 player but no MP3 file.  If you want to make your robot move, you need a task code file.  If the task code downloaded into your robot uses motions, you must download the motion file as well.  

If no motions are used in the task code, you do not need the motion file.