Hi Jon, thanks for the link. This continued education series helps busy engineers maintain existing skills and learn new ones. Tech students, inventors, and entrepreneurs will benefit from these classes as well.
I teach a Microprocessor class at ITT Tech and have explained to my class the benefit behind these Development kits for rapid prototyping new product concepts and features. I continued to use them in my engineerng design projects to prove technical feasibility and to demonstrate the lastest in microcontroller and semiconductor technologies to Product Managers.
That's great that the classes are archived. It really helps when your busy with other activities. Also, I enjoy reading your articles and blogs; they're very motivational. Keep up the good work!
The development-kit seminars in the Digi-Key Continuing Education program remain archived for anyone to view any time. You can download the PowerPoint slides and listen to the audio. Many interesting questions and answers for each session, too.
I use them all the time, they're cheap and most times have enough breadboard area to get a circuit into to. Sometimes I don't even reuse them, just wire them up for a prototype and leave them in the cabinet if the design ever needs to be revisited.
You make an excellent point, gsmith120 - they are a great way to narrow down your design choices and make a final selection! Much better than blindly picking one according to spec sheets without having any real world experience. Thanks for pointing that out!
Thanks Richard for this blog I would love to attend the live online class but due to a schedule conflict I will have to get it as an archive. It comes at a good time because I'm in the process of selecting a development kit for one of my new designs.
Kind of off subject but maybe someone will blog about Field-programmable analog arrays (FPAAs). I read about them many years ago when I worked for a major corporation but couldn't get much interest from my co-workers. Maybe because most were digital designers however I like and do design both analog and digital circuits so I was/am very interested in this technology. Now that I'm working for myself and developing new products I've decided to incorporate one in my new design idea and maybe as a part of the research I will do to get my PhD.
I agree with you Nancy, develop kits are a great way to become familiar with specific technology. I have a couple and really enjoy them. Several designers I know would use them as their somewhat prototype before selecting the final microprocessor or FPGA.
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