Getting the tools: part 1

After some time spent to think of what tools we need in this adventure, now the heart of the project has arrived:

This beauty is a PIC 18F4682 from Microchip. Among many other features, it spots:

• Enhanced CAN controller on board ( CAN version 2.0B up to 1Mbps)
• 1 EUSART ( for RS232 )
• 10 MIPS @ 40Mhz

This is another voyeuristic closeup of the microcontroller:
The microcontroller will be our interface to CAN bus, where we will try to listen communications on the bus and to talk with the other peripherals. It is not possible to interface directly a PC for electric problems (signals are transmitted on the bus by differential voltage) and protocol reasons (need of a dedicated hardware to understand message on the lines that normal PC doesn't have on board). Unfortunately this is not the only device that we need for the project. More has to come.

Stay tuned!