Cypress intros new development platform for PSoC 5 architecture with ARM Cortex-M3 processor

SAN JOSE, USA: Cypress Semiconductor Corp. has introduced the new development platform for the revolutionary PSoC 5 architecture. The company unveiled two new design kits, a new version of the PSoC Creator Integrated Development Environment (IDE), and announced that devices from the CY8C55xxx family are now sampling.

The unique programmable analog and digital peripherals in PSoC 5, along with the high performance 32-bit ARM Cortex-M3 processor, position PSoC 5 for demanding applications such as industrial, medical, automotive, and consumer equipment.

PSoC 5 devices offer industry-leading integrated analog resources, including one 20-bit Delta Sigma ADC and two 12-bit SAR ADCs with sample rates as high as 1 Msps. The PSoC 5 architecture also includes the powerful, PLD-based Universal Digital Blocks for implementing standard and custom digital peripherals. The new PSoC 5 development platform including kits, samples and PSoC Creator are available today.

The PSoC 5 FirstTouch Starter Kit (CY8CKIT-014) helps designers get acquainted with the new PSoC 5 architecture. It includes software and example projects which take advantage of the kit’s onboard sensors including an accelerometer, a thermistor, proximity sensing, and CapSense.

The kit enables easy development via 28 general-purpose I/O pins, a 12-pin wireless module header, and Serial Wire Debugging (SWD). It also includes the PSoC Creator IDE, a powerful design environment that combines schematic and textual entry with pre-configured, pre-tested components that can be simply “dropped-into” designs. The kit is available today, priced at $49.

The CY8CKIT-010 PSoC CY8C55 Family Processor Module Kit is available for more in-depth design work. It works with the PSoC Development Kit (CY8CKIT-001), which offers support for the entire PSoC line.

The CY8CKIT-001 kit contains a main PSoC development board, and three processor module boards for the different architectures: PSoC 1, PSoC 3 and PSoC 5 devices. It also includes a MiniProg3 debug and evaluation device, prototyping cable kit, a USB cable, a 12V AC power adapter, and both PSoC Creator and PSoC Designer software.

Sample projects are also provided. The kit is available today, priced at $249. The PSoC 5 processor module is priced at $65.

“We’re confident that PSoC 5 will build upon the success of PSoC 1 and PSoC 3, and engineers will find the unique programmable analog and digital resources combined with the proven Cortex-M3 core to be a powerful embedded design platform,” said Matt Branda, PSoC Platform marketing director for Cypress. “The broad base of ARM eco-system customers now have the ability to take advantage of the revolutionary PSoC platform.”

“The flexibility and integration of PSoC meshes perfectly with the high performance and low power of the Cortex-M3 to deliver a truly powerful product for embedded designers,” said Eric Schorn, VP marketing, Processor Division, ARM. “The integration of the Cortex-M3 processor into the innovative PSoC 5 platform is a clear demonstration of the processor’s growing adoption and flexibility for a wide range of applications.”