8-bit microcontrollers are here to stay despite the rise of 32-bit microcontrollers. Renesas introduced the RL78/G15 entry-level 8-bit microcontroller in a tiny 3x3mm package at the beginning of the year, and now Nuvoton has just unveiled the MUG51 8-bit 8051 microcontroller with a long-term production commitment.
The MUG51 is specially designed for battery-free devices such as passive stylus pens and RFID cards. The 8-bit microcontroller embeds 1 KB SRAM, 16KB flash plus 4KB flash for user program loader, various peripherals with up to 24x GPIOs with interrupt, I2C, SPI, UART, DMA, and so on, as well as various timers.
Nuvoton MUG51 specifications:
- Core – 1T 8051-based core running up to 7.3728 MHz
- Memory/Storage
- 1 KB SRAM
- 16 KB Flash
- Up to 4 KB Flash for user program loader (LDROM)
- 128 bytes SPROM (Security Protection ROM)
- ISP/ICP/IAP programming
- Peripherals
- Up to 24x I/O with interrupt capability
- 2x UART (Tx/RX), 2x I2C, 1x SPI, 1x ISO 7816-3 interface supporting full-duplex UART mode
- Up to 2 channels PDMA
- 2x rail-to-rail comparators (ACMP)
- Timers
- 4x 16-bit timers
- 16-bit PWM (Up to 6 channels)
- 1x independent watchdog
- 1x Wake-up timer
- Clocks
- Internal 7.3728 MHz MIRC oscillator with variation ±10 % within all temperature range
- Internal 38.4 kHz LIRC for low-power operating mode
- Debug interface – Serial Wire Debug (SWD) compatible with Nuvoton Nu-Link debugger
- Power Management
- Power-on Reset, Brown-out Reset, and Low voltage Reset
- Consumption
- Normal run: 1.08 mA at 7.3728 MHz
- Power-down: 1 μA
- Power-on before the flash is initialized: 200 μA
- Wake up from power-down mode by ACMP, GPIO, WDT, TIMER, UART, I²C, SPI, PDMA, PWM
- Voltage range – 1.8V to 5.5V
- Package – QFN33 (4 x 4 mm)
- Temperature Range – -40°C to 105°C
- EFT (electrical fast transient) – 4.4 KV
- ESD HBM (human body model) – 7 KV
The microcontroller can be programmed with the Nuvoton Nu-Link debugger using either Keil or IAR development environments, and the company provides the NuMaker-MUG51TB board for evaluation and early software development.
While the email press release we received mentions Nuvoton’s commitment to “sustainable 8-bit MCU production and product longevity to ensure a reliable supply, giving customers the confidence to commit to long-term products, platforms, and projects.”, they did not specify any timeframe. Samples of the MUG51 are sold for $1.5, and pricing drops well below one dollar in larger quantities (e.g. 73 cents for 2K+ orders), while the NuMaker-MUG51TB evaluation board is currently offered for $12.50. More details about the new MUC51 microcontroller can be found on the product page with documentation and access to development tools and resources.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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