What is AVR?
AVR is a line of microcontrollers produced by a company called Atmel. A microcontroller is a tiny self-contained computer in a chip, usually about the size of a stick of gum, a coin, or smaller. It contains all the elements needed to run a stripped-down computer system: a microprocessor (the number-crunching unit), memory (where running programs temporarily store information), flash storage (where programs themselves are stored), and peripherals that in some way affect the outside world.
The peripherals are really the most important part. They range from simple I/O (input/output) pins that can have their voltage turned on and off like a light switch, to a complex switching method called pulse-width modulation or PWM, to communication protocols such as UART and USB that talk to other chips and even PCs! Every peripheral runs off of pins on a chip, and it’s common for one pin to do multiple things based on the way you configure it in code. Ah, code.
Despite the common conception, learning to code is challenging but not impossible. There are amazing resources on the internet that take advantage of the step-by-step process. Building on previous steps will eventually lead to the design of complex systems in your projects. And wow, what an accomplishment. One site that has been an enormous help to me is AVR Freaks. In the forums you’ll find many people getting help with their coding problems, which can be an educational tool for others, or you can ask your own questions. As an aside, coding for microcontrollers is usually done in C language, “developed between 1969 and 1973 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the UNIX operating system.” Thanks, Wikipedia!
Of the biggest microcontroller competitors are Atmel and Microchip, who produce the popular AVR and PIC family lines. The bigger fish in this realm is ARM, who don’t produce actual chips but instead schematic designs to license other companies to manufacture them at their expense. ARM chips can be found in all areas, particularly in today’s smartphones, cars, and entertainment devices. Atmel and Microchip products can be found in similar arenas, usually in devices with less complexity and power, and especially in appliances. All of this is part of the incredible world of embedded computing, which enables us to live an increasingly comfortable, electric lifestyle!
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