Development Boards (Programmable Controllers)

The Pololu A-Star microcontroller boards are general-purpose programmable modules based on Atmel AVR microcontrollers. A USB interface and preloaded Arduino-compatible bootloader on each A* makes it easy to get started programming them.

The Pololu P-Star microcontroller boards are general-purpose programmable modules based on Microchip’s PIC18F25K50 and PIC18F45K50 microcontrollers. Each P* ships preloaded with a USB bootloader, so no external programmer is required.

Arduino is an open-source, AVR-based electronics prototyping platform that can be used for a wide range of projects and is easy-to-use. It is intended for artists, designers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments. These development boards are a good entry point for people new to embedded programming.

Raspberry Pi products include credit card-sized computers with Arm processors that can run Linux, along with the RP2040 Arm microcontroller as featured on the Raspberry Pi Pico. We have a number of products that are designed to work with Raspberry Pi single-board computers or integrate an RP2040 microcontroller.

These robot controllers are complete control solutions for small and medium robots or similar projects. Their features include user-programmable microcontrollers and multiple H-bridges for direct control of DC motors.

The Pololu Wixel is a general-purpose programmable module featuring a 2.4 GHz radio and USB. You can write your own software or load precompiled, open-source apps onto it, turning it into a wireless serial link, data logger, or whatever you need for your current project.

The BASIC Stamp from Parallax is a great way to get started with embedded systems. It uses a simple programming language, PBASIC, and many educational resources are available for this well-proven microcontroller, making it a good choice for beginners.