You might consider an ARM processor for a new project, but the leap from an 8-bit device to a 32-bit ARM Cortex-M3 processor could seem too far to jump all at once. The Cortex-M0 microcontroller (MCU) might solve this problem. NXP Semiconductors offers one such MCUs, the LPC1114 and IAR Systems has created a KickStart eval kit to give developers easy access to a Cortex-M0 MCU. But what if you later decide to "upgrade" to a Cortex-M3 MCU? No problem. The Cortex-M0 and -M3 offer code compatibility. And, the NXP LPC11xx Cortex-M0 family has pin compatibility with the company's LPC13xx Cortex-M3 family. NXP has aimed its LPC111x family of low-cost 32-bit devices at current 8- or 16-bit applications.

The M3 MCU offers more on-chip capabilities, while the M0 MCU offers low power consumption.  For information on each device, visit the ARM Web site at: www.arm.com/products/CPUs/embedded.html. And visit the NXP Web site at: www.nxp.com.

IAR claims it has the first commercial starter kit for ARM Cortex-M0-based MCUs, but a quick search turned up an M0 MCU board at Embedded Artists, although it was out of stock when I checked. IAR, though, offers a complete board and the IAR Embedded Workbench tools that cover both the Cortex-M0 and -M3 MCU-family devices.

IAR's KickStart Kit for the LPC1114 MCU contains all the hardware and software so engineers can design, develop, integrate, and test designs that use a Cortex-M0 MCU.The kit includes a development board with an LPC1114 microcontroller, an 8-kbyte code-limited KickStart version of IAR Embedded Workbench for ARM, and a 20-state evaluation version of IAR's visualSTATE state-machine design software.

The board includes a small LCD, buttons and LEDs, trimmer-type potentiometer, buzzer, and prototype space. The circuit routes a UART's signals to a standard 9-pin connector.

The board also provides debug support through IAR's J-Link-OB, a standard JTAG connector, or a small serial-wire debug (SWD) connector. The IAR J-Link-OB is a small board-mounted JTAG/SWD debug interface that connects via a USB port to a host PC that runs Windows.

Prices: IAR KickStart Kit for LPC1114 (Cortex-M0 MCU) $US 139, IAR KickStart Kit for LPC1343 (Cortex-M3 MCU) $US 139.

--Jon Titus