[tech] Re: [ucc] Atmel AVR chips

[John West McKenna]

>Cool, what do these things do, Peter ? Sounds like fun to put them
>together. Pity John hasn't got the use of the workshop at his work anymore,
>although he may still have keys...John...?

<putting on his fake Peter mask for a moment>  They're little
microcontrollers.  Basically, a small computer with a processor, some ROM,
and some RAM (and I *know* you know what these are now :-)  They've also
got pins that your software can control - for reading buttons and switches,
and turning on lights and motors and stuff.

I don't have keys there any more :-(  They probably changed the security
code too.  But I do have my own little workshop.  If you want to have a go
at building a robot or something in your copious spare time, I'm sure we
can do it.

I was actually thinking of replacing the CPU board in the vending machine
with one of these beasties.  How's the Coke machine brain going, Simon?

John West