Luminary Micro Joins as an Official Supplier to the International FIRST Robotics Competition

Luminary Micro Joins as an Official Supplier to the International FIRST Robotics Competition

Luminary Micro joins as an official supplier to the international FIRST Robotics Competition for high school students

AUSTIN, TX, USA – August 5, 2008 – Luminary Micro, creator of the award-winning Stellaris family of ARM Cortex-M3-based microcontrollers (MCUs), today announced the MDL-BDC “Jaguar”; the next-generation intelligent, integrated motor controller/drive module that will be included in the FIRST Robotics Competition’s (FRC) official Kit of Parts (KoP) and distributed to over 1,700 teams in the upcoming 2009 international FRC. With this announcement, Luminary Micro joins FIRST as an official supplier to the FRC KoP. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring the next generation of innovators and engineers.

“FIRST is a remarkable advocate of innovation in science and technology by young people through an environment that promotes spirited competition, gracious professionalism, and teamwork,” said Jim Reinhart, Chief Executive Officer at Luminary Micro. “Luminary Micro is proud to employ its best products, people, and resources to ensure that FIRST continues its worldwide success and growth for years to come.”

Based on Luminary Micro’s powerful Stellaris 32-bit microcontrollers, the new MDL-BDC “Jaguar” module is an intelligent, variable speed control and power drive for 12V brushed DC motors. While the new Jaguar controller offers features that teams have come to expect, including the servo (PWM) input and the brake/coast inputs, the Jaguar controllers are specifically tuned to the servo signal outputs provided by the primary robotic controller used in FRC competition. The Jaguar also brings new technology to FRC that 2009 teams will find compelling, including:

Integrated limit switch inputs that function in combination with the brake/coast inputs.

Safety features such as monitoring the instantaneous winding current, battery voltage, and ambient temperature, all at the same frequency at which the H-bridge is driven.

An easy to use enclosure that is well-designed for competition. For example, the power and motor terminals are color-coded to reduce wiring errors, the enclosure better shields the cooling fan and electronics from debris, and the wire retention tabs keep wires in place during competition.

The Jaguar also includes features that will be utilized in FIRST Robotics Competitions after 2009. In addition to the powerful 32-bit computing and signal processing capabilities of the Stellaris MCU, Jaguar includes an industry-standard Controller Area Network (CAN) interface for real-time networking, a three-pin quadrature interface enabling precise position and speed control, and an analog input for an alternative method of servo operation. Jaguar offers a compelling solution to spur innovation in network-connected, distributed robotics systems in future competitions.

“The combination of advanced control algorithms integrated into the Jaguar firmware and the computational and functional resources of our Stellaris microcontroller create the ideal motor controller platform,” said Reinhart. “Jaguar allows student designers to design increasingly complex robots within the short six-week FRC build period.”

“We are happy to welcome Luminary Micro as a key supplier beginning with our 2009 competition,” said Paul R. Gudonis, President of FIRST. “Luminary Micro provides us the opportunity to introduce new and advanced technology standards for power, control, and connectivity to our high-school competitors and tomorrow’s technology leaders.”

The MDL-BDC “Jaguar” will first be made available to the more than 1,700 individual 2009 FRC teams through FIRST’s Kit of Parts distributed for the year 2009 competition, and additional Jaguar modules will also be available through Luminary Micro’s worldwide distribution channel. In the meantime, Luminary Micro has launched a special website for FRC teams (www.luminarymicro.com/jaguar) to stay up-to-date on Jaguar news, developments, ordering information, and documentation, additionally providing a moderated user group area for teams to post questions and answers about the MDL-BDC “Jaguar” and other topics.