Description
The Arduino Due is a microcontroller board based on the Atmel SAM3X8E ARM Cortex-M3 CPU. It is part of the Arduino family of development boards and is known for its higher computing power compared to other Arduino boards. Here are key features and details about the Arduino Due:
1. **Microcontroller:**
– The Arduino Due is powered by the Atmel SAM3X8E microcontroller, which features an ARM Cortex-M3 core clocked at 84 MHz.
2. **Operating Voltage:**
– The operating voltage of the Arduino Due is 3.3V. This is important to note, as it differs from the 5V operating voltage of many other Arduino boards.
3. **Digital I/O Pins:**
– The board has a total of 54 digital I/O pins, of which 12 provide PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) output.
4. **Analog Input Pins:**
– It features 12 analog input pins, allowing for analog sensor interfacing.
5. **UART, SPI, I2C:**
– The Arduino Due has multiple UART (Serial), SPI, and I2C communication interfaces, making it suitable for various communication protocols.
6. **USB Interface:**
– The board has a native USB interface, which can be used for serial communication, programming, and acting as a USB host.
7. **Flash Memory:**
– The SAM3X8E microcontroller has 512KB of Flash memory for storing the program.
8. **SRAM:**
– It has 96KB of static RAM (SRAM) for data storage.
9. **Clock Speed:**
– The ARM Cortex-M3 core runs at 84 MHz, providing higher computational power compared to other Arduino boards.
10. **Compatibility:**
– While the Arduino Due shares some similarities with other Arduino boards, its 3.3V operating voltage and ARM architecture can make it less compatible with shields designed for 5V Arduino boards.
11. **Programming:**
– The Arduino Due can be programmed using the Arduino IDE. However, due to its ARM architecture, users might need to adapt or rewrite existing sketches to take advantage of the board’s capabilities fully.
12. **Applications:**
– The Arduino Due is suitable for applications that require higher computational power, such as data acquisition, signal processing, and more complex projects.
13. **Advanced Features:**
– The Due includes features like DMA (Direct Memory Access), which allows for more efficient data transfers without involving the CPU.
14. **Ecosystem:**
– The Arduino Due is part of the broader Arduino ecosystem, meaning it benefits from the availability of libraries, community support, and a vast collection of existing projects.
When working with the Arduino Due, users should carefully consider its unique characteristics, such as the 3.3V operating voltage and the compatibility with shields. Additionally, programming for ARM architecture may require a different approach than programming for AVR microcontrollers used in other Arduino boards.
