James is back again with a new episode in the Pmod Monthly series.
This project, which is discussed in greater depth in a previous blog post, is a four-function calculator (much like those you can buy, but with the added satisfaction of having done it yourself). You’ll need a PmodKYPD, PmodBTN, PmodOLED, a microcontroller board like the chipKIT uC32, a breadboard, and plenty of wires.
By using “active listening”, the microcontroller-centric project is able to compensate for some of the issues it might otherwise have in acting as a calculator. James describes active listening within the context of electronics as “the system board continually checks if a certain condition has been met, or in the case of a four function calculator, continually checks to see if a button is being pressed.” The code he uses to carry this out is available here.
So, what do you think? Are you ready to make your own calculator? Which of the Pmods in this project have you found most useful? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.