2023-01-31 The STM32: What It Is and How To Use It
A microcontroller is a single IC that contains a CPU core along with other peripherals like timers or serial interfaces (UARTs). A microcontroller will have its own RAM memory but no external memory support so it cannot use external flash memory to store data or code.
The STM32 is a 32-bit microcontroller. The STM32 line of microcontrollers can be found in consumer electronics such as smartphones and tablets, as well as automotive electronics like engine control units (ECUs) or infotainment systems (I/O). The STM32 also appears in industrial equipment such as robotics or medical equipment like defibrillators or pacemakers.
The main advantage of using an STM32 over an 8-bit MCU is that you can do more things with it at once because its internal architecture is better suited to handling multiple tasks at once than older 8-bit ones are.
What Is the STM32 Used For?
The STM32 is a microcontroller that is used in many products. It is used in devices such as smartwatches, televisions, and cars. The STM32 can be used for many different applications such as controlling motors, reading sensors, and driving LCD displays.
What is the STM32 used for? The STM32 has its own operating system, which means that it can do more than just control devices. It can run applications like a computer. The STM32 can also run programs written in C++ or Java. This makes it easier to write code for the STM32 as you don’t need to learn specific commands or languages to use it.
STM32 microcontrollers come in a wide range of different packages, including DIP (dual inline package), SOIC (small outline integrated circuit), and QFP (quad flat pack), among others. They have a large set of peripherals and features such as timers, CAN bus interfaces, USB host/client interfaces, Ethernet MACs, and more. The chips also support many different instruction sets including ARM Cortex-M0/M3/M4/M7/M8/M0+, RISC-V, AVR32, Power Architecture e300, and many more.
So what is the STM32 used for? Some examples of where you can find the STM32 include:
1. Smartphones:
The Samsung Galaxy S9 and Note 9, along with most other modern Android phones, use the ARM Cortex-A75 CPU core from the ARM Cortex-A family of microcontrollers. This CPU core comes from ARM’s big-LITTLE architecture, which allows for better performance by switching between high and low power states when needed.
2. Automotive:
Car companies like Ford use the STM32F103C8T6 MCU to control their infotainment systems. What is the STM32 used for? These systems include things like navigation, audio controls, climate control settings, etc., so they’re critical to how your car functions day-to-day.
3. Robotics:
The Arduino Yun is an example of a project that uses this chip internally to manage WiFi connections while still being able to use the microcontroller for other tasks.
4. Motion control:
The STM32 has enough processing power to run the motors of the robot and its sensors at the same time without bogging down. This means that even complex motion sequences can be programmed with ease.
5. Industrial automation:
Motion control and data acquisition are common applications for these chips in industrial settings. You can even find them used in commercial HVAC systems today.
The STM32 Series of Microcontrollers
The STM32 series of microcontrollers is a family of 32-bit Flash MCUs with ARM Cortex-M3 core and the STM32F0xx, STM32F2xx, STM32F3xx, and STM32F4xx member lines.
The STM32 product line is built around three different architectures: ARM Cortex-M0, ARM Cortex-M3, and ARM Cortex-M4. The architecture chosen depends on the device features (e.g. high performance or low power consumption) and the application requirements (e.g., cost or size).
The main features of the STM32 family include:
- Low power consumption (down to 2.5 µA/MHz at 1MHz clock frequency) thanks to its low power modes;
- High performance with up to 160 DMIPS/1 MIPS at 80MHz core frequency;
- Advanced analog peripherals such as DACs, ADCs, comparators, timers, PLLs, and CAN transceivers;
- Integrated Flash memory for code storage;
- Flexible pin matrix with up to 32 GPIOs and additional dedicated pins for I²C bus or SPI serial interface.
STM32 Development Board Expansion Options
STM32 Development Boards are a great way to get started with ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers. They come with everything you need to get started: the STM32 chip, USB programming cable, and often some LEDs and push buttons.
A huge variety of development boards are available from ST Microelectronics (ST) and other manufacturers. Some support only one specific family of chips, while others support multiple families with different features for each. Some boards come with built-in peripherals like displays or wireless radios, while others are just blank slates that you have to program yourself before you can use them.
The following is a list of some common expansion options for your existing STM32 board:
Extra RAM
Most development boards come with at least 2KB of flash memory and up to 1KB of RAM. If you need more memory than that, consider adding an external EEPROM or an SRAM chip in addition to your board’s existing memory.
Extra Flash Memory
If your application requires more flash space than what’s available on the development board itself, consider adding an external SPI NOR flash chip or SD Card reader/writer module as well as a microSD card adapter so you can boot from external storage instead of just the internal flash memory (which may not be enough). This can also help reduce wear on your main MCU by offloading data storage from it.
Extra Analog Inputs
If you want more analog inputs than what your development board has provided, consider adding an analog multiplexer that allows you to choose which channels are connected to which pins on the MCU. You can also add extra ADC channels with a dedicated ADC peripheral chip like the ATSAMD21G18
Amazing Things You Can Do With an STM32
Want to get started with STM32? Great! Here’s a list of amazing things you can do with an STM32.
1. Learn how to use an STM32’s built-in tools
The STM32CubeMX tool lets you configure your board and generate code for it. It also includes a comprehensive list of demos that can be used to learn the capabilities of your STM32 device.
2. Read data from sensors
The STM32F070VBT6 has six analog inputs, which is perfect for connecting an accelerometer or other sensor directly to your board. You can read raw data from these inputs using the ADC peripheral and convert it into meaningful information using some simple math functions (abs(), map(), etc.). There are also several examples that show how to use this functionality in various ways, such as reading barometric pressure or controlling motors based on input from an accelerometer.
3. Write data to displays
The 6-pin interface found on many STM32 boards makes it easy to connect a small LCD display such as a 16×2 character LCD module or OLED display using I2C communication protocols (SPI is also supported). The examples provided by the CubeMX tool show how you can use this interface to send data from your microcontroller to the display. You can even create your own graphics library and draw custom shapes on your LCD panel!
4. Use USB devices
The STM32F of microcontrollers have built-in USB functionality, which makes it easy to add USB functionality to your project without sacrificing pins that could be used for other purposes. The example provided by the CubeMX tool shows how you can use this feature with a mouse or keyboard connected to your system using an HID (Human Interface Device) profile. Other profiles include Mass Storage Device (MSD), CDC Device Class, Serial Communication Device Class, and Audio Codec Class.
What Are Some Examples Of STM32 Projects That Use It?
The STM32 is a family of microcontrollers from STMicroelectronics. It’s used in many consumer electronics like smartwatches, fitness trackers, TVs, and more. Some common examples of projects that use STM32 microcontrollers include:
Automotive systems: Automotive companies use STM32 chips to monitor and control various components in their vehicles. For example, they can be used to control the throttle position sensor or ECU (electronic control unit) which measures fuel pressure, temperature, and other parameters in your car’s engine. They can also be used to monitor the brakes and other parts of your car’s braking system for safety purposes.
Smart home appliances: Smart home appliances like air conditioners, refrigerators, and washing machines use STM32 chips for their control panels and displays. They allow you to control these appliances using your smartphone or tablet — no more having to remember what each button does!
Smartphones/tablets: These days most smartphones come with an accelerometer built-in which uses an integral part of the phone to keep track of the orientation. This is great, but if you want more accurate readings you can buy a standalone sensor with its own microcontroller.
Conclusion
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