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The Scorpion TC-01 (VITRAX) and Scorpion TC-02 (MULTITRAX)
microcontrollers are approximately 4 inches by 6 inches.
They contain:
These microcontrollers are very inexpensive, and offer slick solutions to a variety of equipment control and data acquisition problems. They have been used for a variety of purposes, including: Animation controls for the Star Wars movies, control of the multimedia displays at Ellis Island Historical Site, torpedo and missile guidance systems, observatory telescope tracking and servo control, recording temperatures inside large brick ovens, controls for robotic systems, conveyor belt systems, elevator control and monitoring, custom burglar alarms, environmental and fire controls in office buildings, data acquisition for electro mechanical processes such as monitoring the performance of check processing machines, fuel tank level control, manufacturing automation, US Government weapons systems, and environmental atmospheric data collection, just to name a few.
Sold as off-the-shelf items, these versatile devices are ready to do whatever task you program them to do. With a built-in operating system, a fast Hitachi Z-180 processor, and I/O hardware integrated on-board, all that is left to do is to connect external devices and sensors, and write a few lines of code. Programming is easy, code is written in Z-180 BASIC (similar to GW BASIC or BASICA), on a dumb terminal (such as an IBM 3150) or on your PC or notebook PC with any text editor, and uploaded to the device via one of its two serial ports. The RUN command issued from the terminal, instantly compiles the code into MACHINE LANGUAGE. Simple commands write the compiled code onto an EPROM, using the device's built-in EPROM burner. You can also COPY EPROMS with any of the TRAX series boards, and for this purpose alone, they are worth the price. You can also mix and match compiled BASIC (machine code) with routines written in "C".
The Scorpion TC-02 card offers enhanced I/O capabilities, twice the number of I/O lines (48) four times the memory capacity, and in addition, it can do MULTITASKING. - 32 (Thirty Two) simultaneous tasks can be running. This model also has a built-in pulse counter good to 10 Khz.
The Stinger TT-01 StingerVoice VCM (Voice Communication Module) , is a voice-sythesis unit that can speak to you over the phone. For example, let us say that you have the unit set up as a security system for a large warehouse. You could call the unit, and it would answer the phone, and perhaps prompt you for a PASSWORD you enter via the phone's keypad. When the code is accepted, the unit would announce the status of everything you have it set to monitor. For example: "CONDITION GREEN - Front door: Last access at 01:37AM, Watchman keyed in at vault room at 02:20AM, Watchman keyed in at main office at 02:30AM, Watchman checked pharmacy room at 02:45AM, Watchman keyed in at front desk at 02:52AM, Watchman's appointed rounds kept on schedule. No motion detected in restricted areas, All doors are secure....."
In the above scenario, the controller could be made to print a random schedule for the guard to follow, or could be made to actually SPEAK to the guard on duty through the building's Public Address system, instructing him to "Please proceed to the engine room, and check the Dilithium crystal cabinet." A more mundane application would be the development of an inexpensive PHONE MAIL call routing system. As you can see, the possibilities are limited only by the imagination, and by the ability to write a few lines of code. Since you program the unit with phrases, sentences, and numbers spoken in your own voice, the controller can speak any language or dialect, with any accent or inflection you desire. It's spoken tone can be kind, or stern, funny, threatening, and even sarcastic.
These versatile microcontrollers are a very SMART and inexpensive solution to almost any device requiring an on-board processor capable of interfacing with external devices. Since TTL is easy to work with, and redily available, any supporting circuitry required for connection to external equipment can be easily constructed using parts available at almost any electronic hobby store. An equivalent data acquisition device using an IBM-PC as it's "base" would cost almost $6,000 to be able to offer all the functions of these devices.
These devices are so inexpensive, they are affordable even for the hobbyist. There are thousands of these microcontrollers in the field controlling model trains, custom home alarms, lighting, heating and air conditioning systems, weather ballons, seismic monitors, power line switches, and hundreds of data aquisition applications.
To see photo of a prototype GPS kit see: http://www.fleetrak.com/gpsproto.htm
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The Scorpion TC-01 (VITRAX PLUS) Microcontroller
The world's most versatile
Exclusively at Fleetrak Inc. |
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