We’re in an thrilling time for affordable microcontrollers, as with each the rise of RISC-V and the break up between ARM and its Chinese language subsidiary, a heap of super-cheap and really succesful components are coming to market. Typically these low-cost chips include the catch of being troublesome to program although, however for one among them the ever-dependable [CNLohr] has introduced collectively his personal open-source toolchain. The half in query is the WCH CH32V003, which is a ten-cent RISC-V half that has a formidable array of capabilities. As all the time although, there’s a snag, in that we’re additionally advised that whereas provides are enhancing this half could be arduous to search out. The repository is prepared for when you may get them once more although, and at the moment additionally incorporates some demo work together with addressable LED driver code.

In its place there’s a comparable and barely cheaper ARM-based half, the Puya PY32. It’s reckoned to be the most cost effective of the flash-based microcontrollers, and just like the WCH half is bearing down on the crop of one-time-programmable chips such because the well-known and significantly much less highly effective 3-cent Padauk. This finish of the market is definitely heating up somewhat, and from our perspective this could solely imply some thrilling tasks forward.