DaisyLink is one of the powerful features of .NET Gadgeteer. It allows for multi-module chaining to one mainboard socket. The on-board microcontroller running the module allows the module to take load off the mainboard’s microcontroller so they can run in real-time. This requires some engineering on the software and hardware, which GHI is releasing as open-source.
The Open DaisyLink Project includes everything a developer needs to build DaisyLink modules. Not only does it cover the hardware design and software drivers, it also includes mainboard drivers for loading the software on modules. Currently, we use NXP’s Cortex-M0. The LPC11xx series is available in a DIP package, costs about $1 and has a built-in bootloader that GHIs drivers use to re-program the chip without the need for any programmers.
While using GCC is possible, the software is provided as a Keil MDK project. This professional tool is free for projects under 32KB (so basically it’s free with these chips). This allows for easier debugging if using an optional JTAG and also offers better code optimization.
We are demoing the open-source project though three new module offers:
[ol]ParallelCNC: It’s a parallel port that connects to stepper motor controller boards. LED Matrix: 8x8 LEDs which can be chained using DaisyLink to create larger displays. DL40: A tiny board in DIP40 format to prototype DaisyLink modules or enable the mainboard with real-time requirements.[/ol]
I’m curious. If you attach a power module directly to a DL40, will it run the Cortex program OK? Of course, it wouldn’t receive commands from the mainboard. I’m thinking of a demo that I have setup where I have an arduino controlled LED array that has pre-programmed patterns in the arduino. I then show how I can connect a FEZ to tell the arduino which pattern to display. This would be cool to convert over to a DL40 if the software on the Cortex side isn’t going to barf if no mainboard is detected.
Order sent, this looks very cool and very powerful, can hardly wait to start playing with this. I knew I hitched up to a winner when I started playing with Gadgeteer.
Gus or anyone from GHI,
Any thoughts on selling a component kit that contains the DIP version of the Cortex-M0 LPC11xx and the additional PTH components (pull ups, caps FETs if required) needed to replicate the breadboard version shown in the video?
Seems like you could throw that kit together for $4-5 and sell for $10-15 and give people a head start to integrating DL in their own design. The DL40 sort of fills this need but would be nice to have one place to get the components in PTH form so someone can easily prototype a monolithic solution for their own product.
Z
@ Steven - Maybe I’m missing something, but this page:
seems to indicate that there’s a driver available for the LED Matrix Module, but I can’t seem to find a download for this anywhere. Can you point me to the driver? Or if the driver isn’t ready yet, can you update the wiki page to reflect that?
I’m willing to give it a go to access the LEDs more directly through DL, but I don’t want to spend time doing that if it’s not necessary.
