• Refurbished Refurbisher@lemmy.sdf.org
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    1
    ·
    7 months ago

    Microcontrollers would be included in this. Also, not everything that runs on electricity needs to have a microprocessor in it, like toasters for example.

    • elvith@feddit.de
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      7 months ago

      Yeah, not everything needs to have a microprocessor in it, but only few items of those do really have none

      • Obi
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        7 months ago

        I’m no expert so asking with curiosity, but wouldn’t even simple things like your coffee machine changing lights when the coffee is ready require (a very simple) one?

        • elvith@feddit.de
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          7 months ago

          Not necessarily. You could have a sensor that detects when the water reservoir is emptied that doesn’t need logic - e.g.

          • a floater with a magnet. If it reaches the bottom, a magnet sensor detects that the water now emptied (or in the coffee pot) or
          • a temperature dependent resistor. If there’s no more water, the temperature in the heater rises and the voltage rises on a wire. If the voltage (=temperature) is above a certain level you get a signal

          You can then use those signals to do something like switch off the heater, change a light,… all without using a microcontroller. There’s no programming needed for that. You might see things like transistors and some basic digital circuitry here but it’s all very basic and still far from a microcontroller.