{"product_id":"pololu-a-star-32u4-mini-sv","title":"Pololu A-Star 32U4 Mini SV","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe A-Star 32U4 Mini SV is a programmable module based on the ATmega32U4 from Microchip (formerly Atmel). Unlike competing products, it has an on-board switching step-down regulator that allows it to be powered efficiently from a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e5 V to 40 V\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e supply. This compact 1.9″ × 0.7″ board breaks out all 26 of the microcontroller’s I\/O pins (of which 7 can be used as PWM outputs and 12 as analog inputs), and loading programs is made easier by a Micro-USB interface and a preloaded Arduino-compatible bootloader.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Pololu A-Star 32U4 Mini boards are general-purpose programmable modules based on the ATmega32U4 AVR microcontroller from Microchip (formerly Atmel), which has 32 KB of flash program memory, 2.5 KB of RAM, and built-in USB functionality. The A-Star (abbreviated A*) adds a number of onboard features to support the microcontroller and make it easier to work with, including a 16 MHz crystal, a USB Micro-B connector, an in-system programming (ISP) header, a reset button, and three indicator LEDs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach A-Star 32U4 Mini contains a switching regulator that efficiently produces 5 V from an external voltage source to power the microcontroller. Three different versions are available, covering a wide range of input voltages:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\nA-Star 32U4 Mini ULV: \u003cstrong\u003e0.5 V to 5.5 V\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\nA-Star 32U4 Mini LV: \u003cstrong\u003e2.7 V to 11.8 V\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\nA-Star 32U4 Mini SV: \u003cstrong\u003e5 V to 40 V\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA robust power selection circuit enables seamless transitions between regulator power and USB power, and overcurrent and reverse-voltage protection help safeguard the board against accidental damage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll 26 general-purpose I\/O lines on the ATmega32U4 are accessible on the A* 32U4 Mini; 7 of these are usable as PWM outputs and 12 are usable as analog inputs. The board measures 1.9″ × 0.7″, the same size as an\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eArduino Micro, and features a pair of mounting holes sized for #2 or M2\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003escrews\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(not included). Its 0.1″ pin spacing makes the A* easy to use with\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003esolderless breadboards, perfboards, and 0.1″-pitch\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003econnectors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur comprehensive\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003euser’s guide\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eprovides the basics you need to get started with the A-Star as well as detailed technical information for advanced users.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"note\"\u003eThis product requires a\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eUSB A to Micro-B cable\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(not included) to connect to a computer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFeatures\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDimensions: 1.9″ × 0.7″ (1.95″ × 0.7″ including USB Micro-B connector)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProgrammable 16 MHz ATmega32U4 AVR microcontroller\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e32 KB flash (4 KB used by bootloader, leaving 28 KB available for user program by default)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2.5 KB SRAM\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e1 KB EEPROM\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNative full-speed USB (12 Mbps)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePreloaded with Arduino-compatible bootloader (no external programmer required)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAll I\/O lines from the ATmega32U4 broken out in a compact package\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e26 general-purpose I\/O pins available along the sides of the board\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e7 pins can be configured as hardware PWM outputs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e12 pins can be configured as analog inputs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e3 user-controllable LEDs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReset button\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCan be powered from USB or from an external source:\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eULV: 0.5 V to 5.5 V\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLV: 2.7 V to 11.8 V\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSV: 5 V to 40 V\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSwitching regulator enables efficient operation\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePower selection circuit allows for seamless switching between power sources and provides overcurrent protection\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReverse-voltage protection on external power inputs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrecision 16 MHz crystal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e6-pin ISP header for use with an\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eexternal programmer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComprehensive\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003euser’s guide\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFurther Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis version, the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA-Star Mini SV\u003c\/strong\u003e, can be powered from a\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e5 V to 40 V\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eexternal source. The input voltage is regulated to 5 V by an 800 mA ISL85418 switching step-down (buck) converter from Renesas (which acquired Intersil).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs shown in the graph above, the SV’s switching regulator has an efficiency – defined as (Power out)\/(Power in) – of 80% to 95% for most combinations of input voltage and load.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe A-Star’s components, including the microcontroller and LEDs, draw 30 mA to 40 mA in typical applications. The rest of the regulator’s achievable output current, which depends on input voltage as well as ambient conditions, can be used to power other devices. The green line in the graph above shows the output currents where the regulator’s output voltage drops below 4.75 V. These currents are close to the limits of the regulator’s capability and generally cannot be sustained for long periods; under typical operating conditions, a safe limit for the maximum continuous regulator output current is approximately 800 mA.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dropout voltage of a step-down regulator is defined as the minimum amount by which the input voltage much exceed the regulator’s target output voltage in order to assure the target output can be achieved. As can be seen in the graph, the dropout voltage of the Mini SV’s regulator increases approximately linearly with the output current. For light loads where the dropout voltage is small, the board can operate down to 5 V. However, for larger loads, the dropout voltage should be taken into consideration when selecting a power supply; operating above 6 V will ensure the full output current is available.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"note_warning\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNote:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eBatteries can have much higher voltages than their nominal voltages when fully charged, so be careful with nominal voltages above 24 V.\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA 36 V battery is not appropriate for this product.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eArduino compatibility\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe A-Star 32U4 ships with a preloaded Arduino-compatible bootloader (which uses 4 KB of flash memory, leaving 28 KB available for the user program). We provide a software add-on that enables the board to be easily programmed from the Arduino environment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe A-Star 32U4 Mini boards use the same microcontroller as the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eArduino Leonardo\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eArduino Micro\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand run at the same frequency, and they are the same size as the Arduino Micro, but they offer a number of advantages over these other ATmega32U4-based boards. Most notably, their efficient switching regulators cover a wide range of input voltages, opening up new possibilities for powering projects built around Arduino-compatible microcontroller boards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother advantage is the power selection circuit based on the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eTPS2113A power multiplexer\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003efrom Texas Instruments, which allows safe, seamless power switching between USB and an external source without losses from passive components like fuses or diodes along with the ability to monitor and control the selected power source.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdditionally, the A* 32U4 Mini breaks out a few additional pins from the ATmega32U4 microcontroller that are not exposed on the Arduino Micro or Leonardo, and it features larger, more convenient mounting holes than the Arduino Micro.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePinout\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0176\/3274\/files\/0J8732.1200_1.jpg?v=1644861073\u0026amp;width=700\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis diagram identifies the I\/O and power pins on the A-Star 32U4 Mini (\u003cstrong\u003eeven though it shows the ULV version, it applies to all three A-Star Mini boards\u003c\/strong\u003e); it is also available as a\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eprintable PDF\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(269k pdf). For more information about the ATmega32U4 microcontroller and its peripherals, see\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eMicrochip’s ATmega32U4 documentation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrinted on the A* circuit board are indicators that you can use to quickly identify each pin’s capabilities: a triangle next to the pin means it can be used as an analog input, and a square wave symbol under the pin number means it can be used as a PWM output.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe A-Star 32U4 Mini can either be powered directly from the USB 5 V supply or from an external voltage source, which is regulated to 5V by its onboard regulator, and the board’s power selection circuit enables automatic, uninterrupted transitions between the two power sources. When the A-Star is powered through an external power supply connected to the BAT+ and BAT- pins, its reverse-voltage protection circuit helps prevent it from being damaged by accidentally-reversed power connections, and the VIN pin can be used as an output to supply reverse-protected power to other devices. Alternatively, the external supply can be connected directly between VIN and GND, bypassing the reverse-voltage protection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eA-Star 32U4 user’s guide\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ediscusses the board’s features in more detail.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eIncluded hardware\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA pair of 1×17-pin breakaway\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e0.1″ male headers\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eare included with the A-Star 32U4 Micro, which can be soldered in to use the board with perfboards,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ebreadboards, or\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e0.1″ female connectors. Also included is a 2×3 header that can be installed to allow external programming of the microcontroller through the AVR ISP interface, such as with our\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eUSB AVR programmer. The board has two mounting holes that work with #2 and M2\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003escrews\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(not included).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eResources\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAll A-Star 32U4 Mini SV Resources\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePololu A-Star 32U4 User's Guide\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecification\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"413\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"251\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProcessor:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd width=\"162\"\u003eATmega32U4 @ 16 MHz\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRAM size:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e2560 bytes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProgram memory size:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e32 Kbytes3\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotor channels:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e0\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUser I\/O lines:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e26\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInput voltage range:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5 V to 40 V (SV)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMinimum operating voltage:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5 V4\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaximum operating voltage:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e40 V\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaximum output current:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e800 mA5\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLogic voltage:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5 V\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReverse voltage protection?:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eY6\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExternal programmer required?:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eN\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe A-Star Family\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe A-Star 32U4 Micro is a part of our larger\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eA-Star family, all of whose members are based on AVR microcontrollers and are preloaded with Arduino-compatible bootloaders.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pololu","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48624303407322,"sku":"nge1789689189431","price":19.22,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0824\/8318\/3834\/files\/pololu-a-star-32u4-mini-sv_1.jpg?v=1789689195","url":"https:\/\/memoryfoamwear.shop\/products\/pololu-a-star-32u4-mini-sv","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}