This is a development kit for the PETI Virtual Pet Project. It's designed to fit the hardware target for the final version of the toy, but in such a way that it is compatible with and expands upon TI's MSP430 "Launch Pad" development kits. Specifically, it is designed for the Texas Instruments MSP430EXP5994 launch pad, which targets the MSP430FR5994 low power microcontroller. Depending on your skill level, if you can find a TI MSP430 dev kit with a different microcontroller by the same or similar pin-out, it may be possible for you to port the source code to a different controller. Using the kit, it's possible to work on your own version of the Pet firmware and made modifications without having to be bound to a breadboard or cobble together something using your prototyping method of choice!

Important Note

This product offering is for the bare and unpopulated PCBs for the "Revision C." Rear Expansion Board and the Control Daughter-board. In addition to these, you will need the provided Bill of Materials (BOM) and built instructions as well as your own MSP430EXP5994 Launchpad and BOOSTXL-SHARP128 display module, as TI's licensing and policies do not allow me to resell those to you.

An option is provided for a small fee to include the only SMD component pre-soldered for you. The rest of the kit consists of 2.54mm pitch through-hole components, making it an easy assembly provided the right order of operations is followed.

Features

This kit features two boards. The first is the "controller daughterboard" which is simply a set of capacitor-debounced tactile switches and a cutout to permit you to view the display on the layer beneath.

The other board is the "Rear Expansion Board", which adds the following features to the combined device:

• 2xAA Cell Battery Holder
• IC-driven voltage regulation of the 3.3V Rail to permit the use of lower-voltage NiMH or NiCd rechargeable batteries.
• 2 LEDS corresponding to alert states within the pet firmware
• An electronic buzzer, and
• Six-pin bidirectional expansion header of the SPI bus (with 3.3V and ground lines), along with a seventh extra pin that mirrors the LCD Chip Select Signal

This design allows the operator to flash the device and then disconnect it from the host machine for longer-term playtesting, genuine gameplay, or simply for the convenience of storage without having to build up and break down a breadboard version of the hardware. Ultimately, when the final version of the toy hardware is complete, the development kit would be fully compatible with it, but having the added feature richness of the full LaunchPad development kid, such as the on-board USB programmer.