Handyboard Microcontroller

The Handyboard microcontroller is the brains of the mechatronics robot projects. The unit was designed by Fred Martin of the MIT Media Laboratories. It is based upon the Motorola 68HC11 microcontroller and incorporates various analog and digital inputs, digital outputs, an LCD screen, motor driver ports, a small speaker, input knob and buttons, and 32K of RAM. The board is programmed using C and is completely self reliant after being unplugged from the host computer, running on its own power source. In addition to the above features, the C Libraries provided also allow the students to read IR remote control signals, drive servos, drive the Polaroid sonar distance sensor, read the Vector compass, and communicate with the board through a serial link.