The Black Widow $10,000 Design Challenge, which rewards the most inventive designs with cash prizes and high-profile recognition, includes free technical training and a discounted price for the USBSYPDER08 development tool supporting Freescale's MC9S08QG, MC9S08QD and MC9RS08KA families of 8-bit microcontrollers (MCUs).
Registration for the design challenge opens Jan. 15 and closes April 6, 2007. For additional information about entry requirements, official rules, the design selection process and winner notifications, please visit www.freescale.com/blackwidow.
Contestants in this challenge will experience how easy it is to design embedded applications based on Freescale's highly integrated 8-bit MCUs, which are supported by a plethora of development tools and design resources, including CodeWarrior(TM) Development Studio Special Edition for Freescale's HC(S)08/RS08 MCUs.
"We're encouraging design challenge contestants to push their creativity to the limit and create killer applications based on our widely used 8-bit MCU architecture," said Mike McCourt, vice president and general manager of Freescale's Microcontroller Division. "Engineers will learn just how versatile our low-end MCUs can be for embedded applications, while gaining hands-on experience with our 8-bit MCUs and the wide array of software and hardware tools we offer to simplify the development process."
Design challenge details(a)
Contestants can register for the design challenge at www.freescale.com/blackwidow. Once registered, they will follow three steps and gain access to a wealth of design support. In step one, contestants will test their knowledge in a short question-and-answer session. In step two, they will participate in a short coding demonstration using Freescale's virtual lab on the DEMO9S08QG8 board. In addition, they will have the opportunity to purchase Freescale's USBSYPDER08 development tool at a 50-percent discount. In step three, contestants will submit their application concepts.
All entries must be submitted online by April 6. Entries may be submitted by individuals or groups. Each submission will be reviewed by a panel of Freescale judges for creativity, design efficiency, technical complexity, total Freescale product quantity, usefulness and overall application rating.
Freescale plans to announce the top 10 finalists on April 13. Each finalist will receive a $1,000 (USD) award. The finalists will be invited to build prototypes of their designs and submit them to Freescale for final judging. The grand prize winner will receive $10,000 and free admission to the Freescale Technology Forum (FTF) in Orlando, Florida, June 25-28, 2007. The second and third prize winners will receive $5,000 and $2,000 respectively.
About the QD4 microcontroller family
The MC9S08QD4 (QD4) device provides the flexibility and functionality to help developers design a wider array of embedded applications. The high level of integration and 5V support within a compact, 8-pin package make the QD4 ideal for cost-sensitive applications that require higher voltages. The QD4 integrates a four-channel, 10-bit analog-to-digital controller (ADC) designed for high resolution and fast conversion with an automatic compare function. The ADC enables the MCU to interface easily with analog inputs from sensors and other devices by converting the analog signal to a digital value.
About the QG8 microcontroller family
To deliver increased on-chip integration, the MC9S08QG8 MCU adds an enhanced 8-channel, 10-bit ADC designed for better resolution, speed of conversion and low-power operation. The onboard analog integration allows customers to easily interface to analog inputs with minimal external glue logic. An integrated serial communications interface (SCI), serial peripheral interface (SPI) module and inter-integrated circuit (IIC) bus modules increase design flexibility by providing more options for connecting external components.
About the KA microcontroller family
The MC9RS08KA is the first product to be built on the RS08 core, a simplified version of Freescale's high-performance, low-power HCS08 architecture. The ultra-low-end MC9RS08KA family is designed for embedded applications with extreme space and price constraints, such as traditional electromechanical designs and portable applications ranging from motor control to disposable health care products. The MC9RS08KA family offers a robust support environment and a pin-compatible migration path to the higher-performance MC9S08QG and MC9S08QD when designers need to add new functionality.
About the USBSPYDER08
The USBSPYDER08 is a low-cost development tool optimized for Freescale's S08 microcontrollers, including the MC9S08QG, MC9S08QD and MC9RS08KA families. The USBSPYDER08 is designed to enable engineers to develop, evaluate and test code quickly and easily before they build their applications.
About the Freescale Technology Forum
The Freescale Technology Forum (FTF) has become the developer event of the year for the embedded semiconductor industry. The Forum, which debuted in 2005, has been enthusiastically received by the global developer community, drawing more than 12,000 attendees at FTF events worldwide since its inception. For more information about FTF events, please go to www.freescale.com/ftf.
About Freescale Semiconductor
Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. is a global leader in the design and manufacture of embedded semiconductors for the automotive, consumer, industrial, networking and wireless markets. The privately held company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing or sales operations in more than 30 countries. Freescale is one of the world's largest semiconductor companies with sales of $6.2 billion (USD) for the most recently reported four quarters. www.freescale.com
Freescale(TM) and the Freescale logo are trademarks of Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. (C) Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. 2007.
(a) The Black Widow $10,000 Design Challenge is open to residents of the United States, Canada and Mexico and is subject to official rules located at www.freescale.com/blackwidow. A purchase may be necessary to complete the challenge. The design challenge ends April 6, 2007. Void where prohibited.
Contact:
Freescale Semiconductor
Dale Weisman, 512-895-2795
Email Contact
or
Lois
Paul & Partners for Freescale
Erin Hanley, 512-638-5309
Email Contact