So given that this project has been added to so many project parts lists I feel that it deserves an explanation particularly because two of the lists don't seem to make sense right away.........

So I'll start with the custom hardware. HydroPWNics so far had three unique pieces of electrical hardware designed to date, the Module Hub, the Analog Sensor Module, and the Digital Sensor Module. This board have qualified HydroPWNics to be listed in the Texas Instruments and FreeScale lists. First off the FreeScale List: Each of these boards is powered by a FreeScale ARM Cortex M0+. All Modules use the FreeScale MKL05Z16VFK4 48MHZ ARM Cortex M0+, this controller was chosen for cost effectiveness, performance, and overall simplicity. It's a rather simple controller using not too many external parts and having one of every peripheral. Another note is that it can be programmed with the freedom board. Modules for functions will also use the same MCU, I only say this now because only the sensing modules have been designed/fabbed. The Module Hub is using the FreeScale MKV10Z16VFM7 75MHZ ARM Cortex M0+, this controller was chosen for cost effectiveness and impressive performance. The reason for the higher clock speed is that the module hub has to perform wifi coms and control three modules at the same time.

For Texas Instrument parts all the boards use TPS series DCDC converters, I've been wanting to try these regulators out for a while and felt this was a good project to do so. The TPS62162 is a fixed 3.3v DCDC converter, I chose it because its got decent efficiency and it results in a very small footprint. The TPS62163 is a fixed 5v DCDC converter, I chose it for the same reasons as the TPS62162 as they use the same supporting passives and have the same route. These DCDC regulators also can support 1A of current at their respective voltages ensuring that there will be plenty of power for everything. As a general rule I tend to use Ti power parts, there are plenty of options a lot of them cheap :) .

Now for the interesting. The project is also listed in the microchip and Atmel lists. Looking at the projects component list this may seem puzzling. The explanation is that a component of this project contains those parts. The DyIO has both a microchip PIC32 and Atmel Atmega in it, hence qualifying this project for those lists. It puzzled me at first but then I thought about it. Anways who knows if I will add an Arduino or two or add my ChipKit into the mix down the road?

Stay tuned for more project updates and edits to the documentation!!!!!!!!!