SCIENCE

Building on a growing platform of microcontroller (MCU) and microprocessor (MPU) development tools, Freescale Semiconductor continues to enable advanced development and rapid prototyping for medical, industrial and multi-market applications through its Tower System development platform. Today, Freescale introduced four processor modules and two interchangeable peripheral modules for the Tower System. Each of these development boards, or modules, brings added functionality and expands the growing platform of reconfigurable and modular development tools that comprise the Tower System.

The new MCU/MPU modules are designated for medical, precision analog, ultra-low-power, motor control, power conversion or network-connected industrial applications, depending on the featured onboard processor. The new peripheral modules offer 802.11n Wi-Fi as well as enhanced serial and electrocardiography capabilities.

Developers designing with the Tower System experience a customizable, embedded design environment that allows them to mix and match processor and peripheral boards to create reconfigurable development platforms that suit their design needs. Interchangeable modules promote reuse of hardware across multiple architectures, which helps speed time to market.

Advanced microcontroller and microprocessor modules 

• The MCF5441X module (TWR-MCF5441X) is a development board suited for prototyping network-connected industrial applications. It features the on-board ColdFire V4 MCF5441X device and includes integrated analog, an L2 switch and dual 10/100 Ethernet with IEEE 1588 time-stamping. The MCF5441X family of devices is ideal for a wide range of general-purpose industrial and consumer applications such as industrial control, networking, motor control and more. As with other modules in the Tower System, this development board can be purchased as an individual module for standalone debug or as part of a complete Tower System kit.
• The MCF51MM module (TWR-MCF51MM) is a new development tool for the ColdFire V1 MCF51MM256 microcontroller and is targeted for medical applications. The MCF51MM256 device provides ultra-low-power operation, USB connectivity, graphic display support and precise measurement accuracy. and is also useful for applications requiring a significant amount of precision analog, such as instrumentation and industrial control. When purchased as part of a kit (TWR-MCF51MM-KIT), the MED-EKG electrocardiograph sensor for medical applications is included.
• Also designed for the medical market, the S08MM128 module (TWR-S08MM128) is the latest addition to the Tower System 8-bit portfolio. The on-board MC9S08MM128 device provides ultra-low-power operation, USB connectivity, graphic display support and measurement precision, all in a single, 8-bit microcontroller, allowing device designers to create more fully featured products at a lower cost. Like the MCF51MM256 module, the MED-EKG electrocardiograph sensor is included in the complete kit (TWR-S08MM128-KIT).
• The 56F8257 Digital Signal Controller (DSC) module (TWR-56F8257) features the onboard MCF56F8257 device, nine LEDs, four thermistors, a controller area network (CAN) transceiver and more. The MCF568257 device is a perfect fit for power conversion and motor control applications and combines, on a single chip, DSP processing power and microcontroller functionality with a flexible set of peripherals including an eFlexPWM module with NanoEdge placement as well as two ultra fast ADCs. This TWR-56F8257 module is sold stand-alone only, not as part of a kit, but can be used in combination with other Tower System peripheral modules for motor control applications and can also be used as the main controller board with an APMOTORO56F8000E motor control board.

Peripheral modules

• The Wi-Fi module (TWR-WIFI-RS2101) enables easy-to-use 802.11n Wi-Fi connectivity for your application development using the Tower System. The on-board RS9110-N-11-21 Connect-io-nTM Wi-Fi module from Redpine Signals is modular certified for FCC and features comprehensive embedded WLAN firmware to provide a self-contained 802.11n WLAN solution, including an antenna and frequency reference. Well-suited for a variety of applications, the module uses Redpine Signals’ ultra low power 802.11n chipset which was the first to be certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance for single stream 802.11n in 2008.
• The Enhanced Serial module (TWR-SER2) enables high-speed connectivity through dual Ethernet and high-speed USB. This peripheral module provides Tower System designs with additional interfaces that are commonly required by feature-rich MPUs, including USB and dual-Ethernet, along with traditional CAN and RS485 features.
• The Electrocardiograph module (MED-EKG) is a peripheral module designed specifically for use with the S08MM128 and MCF51MM MCU modules and provides an electrocardiograph sensor for medical application development. Sold as part of the TWR-MCF51MM-KIT and the TWR-S08MM128-KIT, this module attaches externally to the main controller board and leverages embedded electrodes for easy EKG signal detection.

About the Tower System
The Tower System helps developers quickly evaluate and prototype their applications. As they require more functionality and design capabilities, developers can easily add more modules to their Tower System library. Simply add new modules that provide desired features and functionality, and experience the same ease-of-use inherent in modular tools. In addition, standardized, open-source hardware allows Freescale customers and partners to design additional modules for added functionality and customization.