New MPLAB Harmony Firmware for 32-bit PIC Microcontrollers

MPLAB Harmony Integrates Internal and Third-Party Middleware, Drivers, Peripheral Libraries and RTOSs; Accelerates and Simplifies the Code Development Process

The new MPLAB Harmony is a flexible, abstracted, fully integrated firmware development platform for all 32-bit PIC32 microcontrollers (MCUs). It takes key elements of modular and object-oriented design, adds in the flexibility to use a RTOS or work without one, and provides a framework of software modules that are easy to use, configurable for specific design requirements and that are purpose built to work together. The new features in this release include the MPLAB Harmony Configurator for quick and easy driver and middleware settings management, a fully compatible, professional graphics library and many significant functional and performance improvements across many of the Harmony driver libraries. Additional enhancements have been made to existing middleware such as IPv6 certification of the Microchip TCP/IP stack.

Microchip's new MPLAB Harmony framework reduces development time and costs by providing a single integrated platform with Microchip-tested, debugged and interoperable source code that is production-ready while offering an RTOS-independent environment. Additionally, MPLAB Harmony includes a set of peripheral libraries, drivers and system services that are readily accessible for application development. The framework offers many new and powerful features that provide code interoperability with modular architecture that allows drivers and libraries to work together with minimal effort, an integrated single platform that enables shorter development time and easy third-party software integration of RTOS, middleware, drivers, and others into the software framework seamlessly.

The MPLAB Harmony Configurator GUI environment reduces the amount of time it takes to change the configuration of peripherals anytime during development while practically eliminating the possibility of bugs in the peripheral and middleware configurations. Designers looking to get to market quickly can benefit from this easy-to-use code development solution, which is better able to meet their ever-shorter product design schedules and decreasing budgets.

“The full product release of MPLAB Harmony demonstrates that Microchip stands alone in offering embedded developers the production-ready software that they need to ensure that their product ships on time and at top quality,” said Rod Drake, director of Microchip's MCU32 Division. “The MPLAB Harmony Configurator makes it simple for software developers to quickly get started using the software framework and ensures correct configuration of the middleware and drivers.”

More information on the MPLAB Harmony development software and to download the software, can be found on the Microchip website at Microchip Harmony main page.

Version 3 of the Harmony Embedded Software Development Framework is now available, which includes support for the SAM family of ARM® Cortex®-M range of microcontrollers.

Note: The Microchip name and the Microchip logo are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective companies.

The Microchip website address is www.microchip.com
[Reprinted with kind permission from Microchip Corporation]