Embedded Fun with RISC-V, Part 2: Embedded Applications

Get your hands on a RISC-V microcontroller.

Learn about the RISC-V Instruction Set Architecture by creating applications in an actual RISC-V microcontroller! See many applications developed on a RISC-V embedded microcontroller board. We’ve chosen an inexpensive board so you may follow along if you want.

What you’ll learn

• How to design an embedded system of your own..
• The steps to take when you have an embedded system in mind..
• Tips and tricks in several steps of the design and implementation process..
• How to use a RISC-V microcontroller..
• How a RISC-V microcontroller compares to its ARM Cortex-M courterpart..

Course Content

• Introduction –> 5 lectures • 6min.
• The Development Platform –> 3 lectures • 8min.
• The GD32V Microcontroller –> 7 lectures • 21min.
• The GD32VF103 Library –> 4 lectures • 8min.
• General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) –> 5 lectures • 17min.
• GPIO in the GD32V MCU –> 5 lectures • 24min.
• SEGGER Embedded Studio GPIO Sample Code –> 3 lectures • 16min.
• Our Own GD32V GPIO Demo –> 4 lectures • 19min.
• Downloading Applications into the Board –> 3 lectures • 6min.
• More About the Library –> 4 lectures • 9min.
• Analog Input/Output –> 5 lectures • 13min.
• Analog Input in the GD32V MCU –> 6 lectures • 22min.
• Analog Output in the GD32V MCU –> 6 lectures • 17min.
• Timers –> 8 lectures • 20min.
• Timers in the GD32V Microcontroller –> 6 lectures • 18min.
• Serial Communication –> 4 lectures • 15min.
• Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) –> 5 lectures • 14min.
• I2C and Asynchronous Serial Communications –> 3 lectures • 10min.
• Serial Communication in the GD32V Microcontroller –> 3 lectures • 8min.
• Quick and Dirty Voltmeter –> 5 lectures • 18min.
• About Interrupts –> 12 lectures • 26min.
• Interrupts in the GD32V Microcontroller –> 4 lectures • 11min.
• Wrap Up –> 2 lectures • 3min.

Requirements

• Be comfortable with digital or analog electronic circuits..
• Have some basic experience with schematic diagrams..
• Be able to create embedded applications using either a microcontroller or an FPGA..

Learn about the RISC-V Instruction Set Architecture by creating applications in an actual RISC-V microcontroller! See many applications developed on a RISC-V embedded microcontroller board. We’ve chosen an inexpensive board so you may follow along if you want.

This course is part of a hands-on curriculum where you’ll get some basic experience on the design and development of embedded applications using a RISC-V core. So far, this curriculum contains the following courses:

1. Part 1: The RISCV ISA. Where you’ll learn about the RISC-V Instruction Set Architecture.
2. Part 2: Embedded Applications. Where you’ll learn how to create basic applications using the on-chip peripherals.

After learning about the RISC-V ISA, it’s time to talk about Embedded Applications using the awesome GD32V Dev Board by Seeed Studio. At $6.90 a piece, this is the cheapest microcontroller board I know. However, you’re certainly not required to purchase anything. If you don’t intend to acquire a board, you may successfully take the course by only watching the videos and written material.

Since the purpose of this second course is to get you acquainted with a RISC-V microcontroller, we’ll cover the following topics, and more:

1. The Development Platform
   1. The GD32 Board, by Seeed Studio
   2. Segger Embedded Studio
   3. The development process
2. GPIO
3. Analog I/O
   1. Reading analog input with an ADC
   2. Creating analog signals with a DAC
4. Timers
   1. Input Capture
   2. Output Compare
   3. Generating periodic signals
   4. Pulse Width Modulation
5. Serial Communication
   1. Serial Peripheral Interface
   2. The I2C interface
   3. Asynchronous serial communication (UART)
   4. Universal Serial Bus (USB)
6. Interrupts
   1. The RISC-V interrupt model
   2. Interrupt-driven development process