Picaxe System and its Features

The article discusses the Picaxe system, its features, and reasons for using it. It also explains how to text a dice using the Picaxe microcontroller. The Picaxe system is a microcontroller system that is easy to program and uses low-cost 'FLASH' memory-based microcontrollers. It is designed to act as the brain of an electronic project and is widely used by hobbyists and students. The article also explains the features of the Picaxe system, such as multiple outputs, inputs, and analog channels, low-cost, and easy to learn the basic language. The article also discusses the reasons for using the Picaxe system, such as its simplicity in programming, low cost, and simplicity in constructing circuits.

Running Head: ICT BUSINESS INFORMATICS 1
ICT BUSINESS INFORMATICS
Name of Student
Institution Affiliation

ICT BUSINESS INFORMATICS 2
Picaxe system
The Picaxe system refers to an easy to program microcontroller system that makes application of
a simple language, that majority of students caability ton learn quickly. The Picaxe system makes
use of the unique characteristics of the new generation of the low cost ‘FLASH’ memory based
microcontrollers. This type of microcontrollers can be programmed over again and again without
the need for an expensive PIC programmer (Hackett, 2017).
Simplicity is the power of the Picaxe system, i.e., there is no eraser, programmer or any other
complicated electronic system that is needed. The microcontroller is usually programmed
through a 3-wire connection to the computers serial port. The operational Picaxe circuits make
application of 3components, and they can be easily constructed on a prototyping breadboard,
PCB design or stripboard.
The first constructed Picaxe system was constructed by Clive Seager, and it was based on the
PIC 16F872 microcontroller which was later introduced by a microchip in 1999. Seager
discovered that the 5V in-circuit serial programming capability of the 16F872 could eliminate
the need for a separate hardware programmer if the PIC could be made to respond to the
incoming serial command. Due to that he was forced to develop a bootstrap code which would
do that and it was programmed into the PIC μWith the succeeding developments of the
customized version of the Basic programming language the first Picaxe system was developed.
Features of a Picaxe system
 Multiple outputs, inputs and analog channels
 Low-cost and simple to construct a circuit
 Very easy to learn the basic language

ICT BUSINESS INFORMATICS 3
 Easy and free to use programming Editor Soft wares
 Extensive online support and free manuals
 Rapid download through the USB
A Picaxe system is designed to act as a brain of your electronic project. The system was initially
designed as an educational system for schools, but currently, the system has been adopted widely
by many hobbyists because of its simplicity which makes it easier for them to use. Annually
thousands of high school students are introduced to microcontrollers and electronics through the
construction of a Picaxe project. Picaxe chips are very common because of their simple
programming and low cost by the use of free soft wares to learn. The Picaxe chip caability ton
react to the input and the switch outputs on and off accordingly (Anderson, 2016).
There are different Picaxe chip size, i.e., 8, 14, 20,28 and 40 pins which give greater flexibility
on how the system can be used one is required to select the chip size as per the requirements of
the project. On the Picaxe parts, the majority of the pins can be configured to output, a digital
(on/off) input or a touch sensor. The table below shows the different Picaxe chips sizes.
In the process of selecting a Picaxe chip size, it is essential to ensure that the selected chip has
sufficient input and outputs to fulfill the specification of the project. In general, it is much better

ICT BUSINESS INFORMATICS 4
to select a larger chip and have some pins that will remain unused than having few pins which
cannot be able to complete the project.
Reasons for using the Picaxe systems
The Picaxe system takes the user-friendliness which one has to associate with on the board-level
products such as the Arduino, and it can move down to the chip level, this ability of the system
allows students, professionals, and hobbyists to build smart projects which are economical and
compact at the same time.
The Picaxe systems are known to make the microcontrollers much easier to program. The control
sequence used can be easily drawn and simulated on the computer as a flowchart or Witten on
the BASIC programming language due to that it is much easier to use the microcontroller as the
complicated assembler.
Each of the Picaxe systems contains a bootstrap program which enables it to be programmed
without necessary separating its hardware programmer. All this process is needed in a three-wire
download cable which is either a serial or a USB, depending on the type of the port which is
available on the personal computer being used. Usually, the software which is used for
programming the Picaxe system is free, and the software versions are available for Linux,
Windows, and Mac operating systems (Lincoln, 2013). The programming code itself is a version
of BASIC, which is very easy and quick to learn how to use at the same time it is quite powerful.
Other reasons which have facilitated the widespread application of the Picaxe system include;
the simplicity of the programming language that is used, the low cost and simplicity in
constructing the circuits.
How to text a dice

ICT BUSINESS INFORMATICS 5
Designing and constructing an electronic dice. For the dice to work effectively, it has to display
the numbers 1-6 randomly by switching the LEDs on and off. Always there are design
specification points that are considered during the texting of the dice, i.e., The design of the dice
will use an eight pin Picaxe microcontroller as its main controller and the LEDs in the design
will be arranged in a dice pattern. There are usually several factors which are considered when
texting on the dice and they include; If the dice is constructed on the circuit board or it will need
to be mounted — the size and color of the LEDs that are used when constructing the dice. The
method of activating the dice but in most cases a push switch is used in the activation of the dice
but there are other options of activating the switch, and they include; sensors.

ICT BUSINESS INFORMATICS 6
References
Anderson, K. (2016). Picaxe Project Handbook: A Guide to Using PICAXE Microcontrollers
V1, Part 2. Texas: Independently Published,
Hackett, R. (2017). PICAXE Microcontroller Projects for the Evil Genius. London: McGraw Hill
Professional,
Lincoln, D. (2013). Programming and Customizing the PICAXE Microcontroller 2/E. Chicago:
McGraw Hill Professional.