What does robotic control need beyond processing speed? A 5V microcontroller can combine high-resolution analogue control with hardware-triggered real-time response.
Nuvoton Technology has launched its NuMicro M3351 series of 32-bit microcontrollers for real-time control applications including robotics, industrial automation, smart appliances, motors, pumps and actuators.
The series is built around an Arm Cortex-M33 core running at up to 144 MHz and operates from 2.7V to 5.5V. The 5V capability allows it to operate in control systems that use higher-voltage logic, while the integrated analogue and timing peripherals handle sensing, feedback and control functions.
For motion and closed-loop control, the M3351 combines a 12-bit SAR ADC with sampling rates of up to 1.7 MSPS and a 14-bit SAR ADC operating at up to 1.0 MSPS, with up to 16 input channels. It also includes a 12-bit DAC, two analogue comparators, up to 24 channels of 16-bit PWM/BPWM, and up to two enhanced quadrature encoder interfaces.
The ADC, PWM and analogue comparator blocks can be connected through hardware trigger paths. This enables peripheral events to be handled without requiring every control action to pass through the CPU, which can reduce processing overhead in applications such as robotic joints, motor drives, fans, pumps and valves.
The MCU series offers 256 KB to 1 MB of Flash and up to 128 KB of SRAM. Selected devices support Dual-Bank operation, ECC and Bank Swap, providing options for firmware-over-the-air updates. Independent Data Flash on selected variants can also be used for frequently updated parameters, calibration values and operating records.
For connected industrial equipment, the MCU includes CAN FD, UART, I²C, I3C and USB connectivity, alongside security functions such as Arm TrustZone and Secure Boot. It is specified for operation from -40°C to +105°C and provides ESD and EFT protection.
The company offers the M3351 in packages ranging from compact QFN options to higher-pin-count LQFP packages, with development hardware and software support for applications spanning robotics and industrial control.
For the official announcement, click here.
