The new Pyboard D-series micro-controller is now available for purchase at a rather hefty price of £43 ($56), offering developers a low-powered device for running programs created with MicroPython, a stripped-back version of the hugely popular Python 3 programming language.
Pyboard runs on ultra-low memory requirement of 16KB. The standout feature of the Pyboard is that it runs MicroPython on Bare Metal, making Python an operating system for running electronic projects on devices with as little as 16kB of RAM.
The software and hardware is the brainchild of UK-based programmer and physicist Damian George, who launched a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2014 to bring to life micro-controllers for making tiny, low-powered robots that can bleep, flash and detect objects.
Pyboard D-Series Specifications:
- 216 MHz Cortex M7 CPU
- 512 KiB internal flash ROM
- 256KiB Internal RAM
- Built-in WiFi and Bluetooth
- Real-time clock
- 1x 3-colour RGB LED
As opposed to the Raspberry Pi Zero W, which runs on Linux, Pyboards rely on MicroPython for operating system functionality and access to low-level hardware. These can’t be used as a stand-alone PC like the Rasberry Pi. Pyboard D-series running on MicroPython can be deployed to control embedded systems. Micropython can run Python scripts, which can come in very handy for DIY projects.
The new D-series board was unveiled at the FOSSDEM open-source conference in Europe in February without any pricing details that have been revealed now as it is now available for purchase.
You can purchase the Pyboard D Series from MicroPython’s official website.