Maple Prototype
This is the Maple prototype, our first version of an Arduino-compatible board with an STM32 ARM Cortex-M3 processor. We’re chomping at the bits to release it as soon as we tie up a couple loose ends to make it what we think it should be. We’ve ported all the Arduino language and are modifying the Arduino environment so that everything works how it should. Notice that Maple does not have an FTDI chip, so serial communication works through a USB Virtual COM Port that’s implemented on the STM32, so it may even be slightly easier to setup than Arduino boards because FTDI drivers aren’t required, and the drivers for the Virtual COM Port are probably already on your Mac or Linux machine; for Windows, you’ll just use the driver that we include with the software download.
We’re also extending the Arduino language to allow users to do things with the STM32 that the Atmega chips cannot do such as easy setting up of different types of USB devices (HID for crazy mouses, mass storage, or full speed USB 2.0 data transfer) and other communication protocols (USART, SPI, I2C, I2S, CAN), providing higher bandwidth capabilities.
To allow people an opportunity to experiment with the performance benefits of Maple, we’re designing a couple shields to stack on. The one I’m most excited about is the audio shield. I love programming real-time audio synthesis and effects processing algorithms and have experimented with these things on Arduino. Audio processing is one thing that can quickly lead to hitting the limitations of the Arduino AVR processors. I like to simulate real-time audio effects processing with MATLAB (though I’m starting to move to Python) by importing an audio file and writing an algorithm that slides a buffer through the audio data as if it were being captured in real-time from a guitar or something. It’s disappointing to create a cool effect that takes too much processing or memory to implement on the embedded hardware you’re using, so I can’t wait to allow people more flexibility here and for other things. Another shield we might do is an OLED display with a little trackball or joystick. I haven’t seen an OLED display shield at a reasonable cost. We’re open to suggestions!
on August 17, 2009 at 9:58 am
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Do you have a board to evaluate? I am particular interested in use this board for speech processing (recognition). Memory is a issue, but for small tasks can be interesting.
Lus
on August 17, 2009 at 10:07 am
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Other question: is this board open source? Software and hardware?
How much cost? and audio (AC97) or similar things?
Luis ( lfu20@hotmail.com – http://www.asrlabs.com )
on August 18, 2009 at 2:00 pm
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Luis, we’re planning a full release in October. Yes, the hardware and software is open source. The cost should be around $40 for each of the boards. We can add you to the email list to keep you updated.
on August 22, 2009 at 10:27 am
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Hi,
which licenses apply to the hardware and to the software? Also, will hardware design files be released, including Gerber files? Do you use an open-source EDA suite such as gEDA/PCB (gpleda.org) or Kicad (kicad.sf.net).
Btw, you might want to have a look at libopenstm32 (http://sf.net/projects/libopenstm32), an open-source firmware library for the STM32 which I started recently, licensed under the GPL, version 3 or later. It’s work in progress and not all peripherals are supported yet, but some people started contributing already so that will change soonish I assume.
Cheers, Uwe.
on August 21, 2009 at 2:26 pm
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Have you looked at the ARMmite PRO, and will there be any interoperability / compatibility between your board and theirs?
on August 21, 2009 at 3:37 pm
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I am quite interested. I like the ability to define it with different USB/HID profiles. Would you please add me to the list. Thank you
on August 21, 2009 at 3:44 pm
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I would be really cool to have a basic int the arduino ide
on August 21, 2009 at 11:29 pm
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Which STM32 chip are you using?
on August 22, 2009 at 12:12 am
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The arduino platform has always lacked a convenient number of ground ports, but otherwise, your board is intriguing. If the chip has >= 8 KB RAM it would be able to run the PyMite VM (www.pythononachip.org). We have already ported PyMite to the Arduino Mega and an STM32 eval board. Send me an email if this sounds interesting.
on August 22, 2009 at 1:42 pm
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WHOA!, loving this! add me to the mailing list please!
on August 22, 2009 at 4:41 pm
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This is even better that what I’ve been looking for.
on August 23, 2009 at 1:25 am
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Could this thing be a USB host? Lack of that capability is one of the problems with the FTDI.
on August 23, 2009 at 1:44 am
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Please add another parallel set of headers that are on 0.1″ headers so that *normal* breadboards (all pins on 0.1″ headers) can be used as shields.
For example, like http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/seeeduino-v212-fully-assembled-arduino-compatible-p-389.html
thanks! looks good, and good luck
on August 23, 2009 at 7:12 am
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Sounds great
I’m interested in the audio shield particularly.
on August 23, 2009 at 4:28 pm
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Do you guys have any relation to the Xduino project?
http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1247691841/12#12
on August 26, 2009 at 3:46 pm
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We are not in contact with the Xduino project, but we have not ruled out the possibility of future collaboration.
on August 24, 2009 at 2:53 am
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I am eager to hear more about this as it develops. I could certainly use a few of these in my classroom.
on August 24, 2009 at 5:04 am
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[...] involving a hefty investment in new hardware and an intimidating learning curve. Leaf Labs’ Maple aims to change all that… Maple, expected to ship in October for about $40, brings together the [...]
on August 24, 2009 at 11:47 am
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This is great you guys.
I’d be willing to write some libraries for the telit GC864 quad since I’m already doing this at my work, but with the IAR compiler( can’t wait for arduino language port )
what if we wanted to burn the bootloader to an existing olimex board per example?
on September 2, 2009 at 2:55 am
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I love that cellular module. It does 3G, right?
on September 9, 2009 at 12:53 am
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well, not that one but the UC864 does and it is pin to pin compatible with the GC864, I am planning on using both.
on August 24, 2009 at 3:57 pm
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I have played some with the Luminay M3, awesome part. I cant wait to get one of these.
http://www.uchobby.com/index.php/2006/10/12/design-contest-for-new-arm-coretex-m3-controllers/
Please add me to your mailing list as well. I would like to contribute to the library as well.
on August 25, 2009 at 3:10 am
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I really like that real time effects processing idea that you have.
on August 25, 2009 at 4:37 pm
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[...] Maple Prototype – an arduino compatible board based on the ARM Cortex-M3 processor [...]
on August 26, 2009 at 12:05 am
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[...] Links: Maple Prototype [...]