New here, Some questions.

Memory

Hello guys, i just joined this forum. I recently got interested in robotics and stuff like that. I happen to be a student of electronics. To begin with i want to know more about the sojourner rover that was sent to mars in 1997. I would appreciate it if someone could tell me more about the kind of microprocessor / controller on the rover.also can some one let me know what the difference between a micro controller and a micro processor is ? I got a lot more questions to ask but these should be fine for now!

Thanks!!

p.s. can this basic stamp microcontoller do multi tasking? like for example, blink an LED every 2 seconds and at the same time power a small motor?? I want to convert a toy car that i have. i want to put the whole module in the car; then put the LEDs on the top of the car (for a cop car effect) and at the same time while the lights are blinking i want the basic stamp module to run the motor of that car thereby moving it.

kwinn

Can't help with the Rover but a microprocessor generally uses most of its pins as an address, data, and control bus for accessing external memory and I/O peripherals. A microcontroller has the memory on chip and uses most of it's pins for I/O signals.

ElectricAye

Memory wrote: »

... i want to know more about the sojourner rover that was sent to mars in 1997. ....

Welcome to the forums.

Have you looked at this? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_embedded_computer_systems_on_board_the_Mars_rovers

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/MPF/rover/faqs_sojourner.html#cpu

For general microprocessor stuff, look here: http://www.parallax.com/go/wam

Memory

thanks for the reply...could please also answer the lower part of my post about multitasking? thanks a lot!

ElectricAye

Memory wrote: »

thanks for the reply...could please also answer the lower part of my post about multitasking? thanks a lot!

Perhaps have a look at this: http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?126742-Newbie-question-on-multitasking

lardom

Welcome to the forums. The Propeller can multitask but it's probably best to read the documentation on the Basic Stamp and the Propeller before you decide where to start. I started with the Basic Stamp which convinced me that I could program. Once I completed my first project I decided I really wanted to learn to program the Propeller.