The STM32100E-EVAL is a powerful development board designed to help engineers and designers evaluate the capabilities of the STM32F100 microcontroller. This versatile board provides an easy way to prototype and test new projects, thanks to its rich set of features and resources.

In this article, we'll explore the main capabilities of the STM32100E-EVAL board and showcase some practical examples of how it can be used to develop various types of applications. We'll cover the following topics:

Hardware overview

Software support

Sample projects and applications

Hardware overview

The STM32100E-EVAL board features a compact and robust design that includes several integrated circuits and peripherals. Some of the key components of the board include:

STM32F100RB microcontroller, which is based on the ARM Cortex-M3 architecture and features 128KB of Flash memory, 8KB of RAM, and multiple communication interfaces.

ST-LINK/V2 debugger and programmer, which allows for in-circuit debugging and programming of the microcontroller.

Comprehensive set of user interfaces, such as LEDs, push-buttons, joystick, and a TFT LCD display, which enable users to interact with the board and test their applications.

Multiple expansion connectors, which provide access to the various communication interfaces of the microcontroller and allow for the connection of additional modules and sensors.

The STM32100E-EVAL board is powered by a USB cable, which also acts as a virtual COM port and allows for serial communication and programming of the board. The board supports several operating modes, such as normal, standby, and sleep, which help reduce power consumption and prolong the battery life of the device.

Software support

To help users get started with the STM32100E-EVAL board, STMicroelectronics provides a comprehensive range of software tools and development environments. These tools are designed to simplify the development process and provide a high level of flexibility and customization.

One of the most popular software tools for the STM32100E-EVAL board is the STM32CubeMX, which is a graphical tool that allows users to configure the microcontroller and generate initialization code for all the available peripherals. With STM32CubeMX, users can easily set up the GPIOs, timers, interrupts, communication interfaces, and other features of the microcontroller, without the need for manual coding.

The STM32CubeMX also integrates with other popular development environments, such as the System Workbench for STM32 (SW4STM32), which provides a complete integrated development environment (IDE) for coding, debugging, and testing the applications.

Apart from the STM32CubeMX and the SW4STM32, users can also use other software tools and programming languages, such as Keil MDK, IAR Embedded Workbench, and FreeRTOS, depending on their preferences and requirements.

Sample projects and applications

To showcase the capabilities of the STM32100E-EVAL board, STMicroelectronics provides several sample projects and applications that users can leverage and customize. These examples cover a wide range of use cases and domains, such as connectivity, sensing, motor control, and security.

For example, one of the most popular sample projects is the "Blinky" example, which demonstrates how to toggle the LEDs on the board using the GPIO peripheral. Another interesting project is the "UART Echo" example, which showcases how to communicate with the board via the serial port and echo back the received data.

Other examples include the "Accelerometer" project, which uses the onboard accelerometer sensor to detect the orientation and direction of the board, and the "USB Audio Class" project, which demonstrates how to stream audio data to and from the board via the USB interface.

Users can also create their own projects and applications using the STM32100E-EVAL board, leveraging the various communication interfaces and peripherals provided. Whether it's implementing a custom protocol, controlling a motor or a sensor, or interfacing with other devices, the possibilities are limitless.

Conclusion

The STM32100E-EVAL board is a versatile and powerful development platform that provides an easy way to prototype and test new projects based on the STM32F100 microcontroller. With its rich set of features, software support, and sample projects, the board is ideal for engineers and designers looking to explore and develop a wide range of applications and use cases. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced developer, the STM32100E-EVAL board is definitely worth considering.