Scavenger hunt

This game is intented to get you noticing embedded systems all around you, and to start thinking about what’s inside.

Your objective is simple: work with your team to find as many items from the list as you can over the course of the semester. To claim a find, submit a photo, plus the information described in the listing.

Disclaimer: while this game strongly encourages taking things apart to look at the insides… be smart about it, ok? We’re not responsible if you break things!

Hunt items

  • Any embedded system. Max 10 per person, but must be unique to the team. Submit a brief description with each picture answering the following:

    • What are all the inputs and outputs of the system?
    • How does the embedded computer makes the device better?

  • An STM32 microcontroller in a real device. Max 1 per chip family (STM32L4, STM32G0, STM32F1, etc). Include a link to the datasheet. See all of the chip families here.

  • A microcontroller from a vendor other than ST (such as TI, Atmel, Microchip, OnSemi, Freescale, NXP, Cypress, ). Max 1 per vendor. Include a link to the datasheet. Some companies have merged or changed names, but we’ll give you credit for each unique name (e.g., we’ll count Motorola and Freescale as separate).

  • A microcontroller with fewer than 12 pins. How do you know it’s actually a microcontroller?

  • A microcontroller with more than 100 pins.

  • An LED that looks like it’s on, but is actually blinking. You need to capture some kind of proof that it’s blinking.

  • A multiplexed keypad or buttons. How do you know it’s multiplexed?

Many more items will be coming as you learn more about embedded systems…