Teaching and research requirements of microprocessor development equipment

The ever-increasing complexity and decreasing cost of microelectronics devices continuously adds to the knowledge and skills needed by design engineers so that they may exploit fully any advantages of this technology. This knowledge must be taught without detriment to more conventional electrical-engineering subjects, and so must be taught efficiently. In the case of microprocessors, which are of essence very practical devices, this is best achieved in a purpose-designed laboratory. Stand-alone microprocessor development systems could be used to develop programs and to interconnect with suitable experiments. For a laboratory equipped for many concurrent users, a more flexible system can be built around a multiuser minicomputer provided with `cross-product software¿ and with simple microprocessor boards connected by serial lines. The useful life of a minicomputer will span several generations of microprocessor devices which can be incorporated into the laboratory by modifying the software at low cost.