I’ve already tried a one dollar board based on STM8s in the past, but it required a separate STLink debugger, installing a toolchain, and a few other steps. The “One Dollar Board” project, born in Brazil, has different objectives, as it aims to provide an easy way for pupils around the world to getting started with electronics, by simply connecting it to the USB port of a computer or board capable of running the Arduino IDE, and following the instructions printed on the board.
One Dollar Board specifications:
- MCU – 8-bit MCU (likely Atmel AVR) with 8 KB flash
- 6x GPIO (input and output ports)
- USB – 1x USB port for power and programming
- Misc – 2x LEDs, reset button
- Expansion – Spaces for Wifi ESP8266, Atmel 24C256 serial EEPROM (256 KB), and L293 Driver motor (unclear where though)
- Power Supply – 5V via USB
- Dimensions – Compatible with Arduino UNO
You can see all 8-step instructions on the board. The URL achestnut.org shown in steps 1 & 2 does not work, and onedb.cc & onedollarboard.com redirect to the Indiegogo page so I guess it’s still work in progress. But the video below explains how this is supposed to work.
The board will be open source hardware, and released under a Creative Common license.
The project has now been launched on Indiegogo with a $50,000 funding target. You can indeed get the board for $1, but shipping adds $3, but it might be worth getting larger quantities, as $25 will get you 25 boards for just $6 extra for shipping. You may also pledge to donate boards to an NGO of your choose, and company can sponsor the project by getting their Logo printed on the board for $5000. Delivery is planned during October to November 2016. More details can also be found on OneDollarBoard.org (registration by email or Facebook required).
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
Support CNX Software! Donate via cryptocurrencies, become a Patron on Patreon, or purchase goods on Amazon or Aliexpress
