What is Jaluino and why ?

Jaluino is prototyping board, inspired by Arduino. Arduino is defined (from authors themselves) as "an open-source physical computing platform based on a simple microcontroller board, and a development environment for writing software for the board". So Jaluino is aimed to provide the same kind of features¹.

While Arduino is based on Atmel microncontrollers, Jaluino is based on Microchip PIC microcontrollers. This is one of the main reason why Jaluino exists. Another reason is Jaluino uses jalv2, jallib and other Just Another Language related projects.

One important aspect is shields. Arduino boards provide a common hardware base, the main board. On top of this board, daughter boards, named "shields", can be plugged. This allows to share hardware designs easily, focusing only on new features, not on microcontroller basic setup (crystal speed, communication dedicated modules, etc...).

Jaluino claims to provide the same shield functionality. That's why it's an Arduino-like board. But... shields aren't the same, size is different, pin number and layout are different, pin functionalities are different. That's why it may not be considered as an Arduino clone...

What are the main goals for Jaluino

How Jaluino looks like ? How about specs ?

Enough talking, here's a photo showing how Jaluino looks like.

Figure 1. Jaluino Medium v1.3b

Overview

The following picture shows the different connectors and important parts composing Jaluino Medium.

Figure 1. Jaluino Medium overview

Several power sources options are available, selectable using jumpers. Fuse protection (500mA) helps keeping board safe when handled by distracted users...

PIC 18F4550 is clocked by a 20MHz crystal, allowing speed up to 48MHz using PLL (kind of black magic...).

Most used communication protocols are available from the board: USB, serial, I²C, ICSP. Those connectors are right angle male connectors, so easily plug wires and buses.

Resetting PIC 18F4550 can be done manually, using Reset push button, or using special RTS serial line, without manual intervention. This Reset-via-RTS feature is enabled using a jumper.

Finally, female connectors on the center compose shield connectors, used to expose pins to daughter boards.

See Hardware setup for detailed instructions about using jumpers and enabling/disabling features.

Board and shield sizes

Jaluino Medium board size is rather bigger than Arduino Duemilanove board. This is mainly because microntroller itself is bigger (it has more pins). Jaluino board is also single sided, to be easier to build at home. Finally, Jaluino provides more features, like a serial connector¹ and an I²C connector.

Figure 2. Jaluino Medium under construction, compared to Arduino Duemilanove.

Jaluino shield aera is smaller than the board itself, whereas Arduino's shield have quite the same size as the board.

Figure 3. Jaluino Medium with Crumboard shield plugged, showing board and shield size differences

Exposed pins through shield connectors

The following diagram shows 18F4550 pin layout, beside Jaluino shield connector. This is an important diagram, as it shows relation between PIC's pins and connectors, which pins is exposed², which is not.

Jaluino Medium also exposes its pins as arbitrary number, following connect J1 to J4. Pins can then be accessed within code as number is necessary.

Figure 4. Jaluino Medium pin layout mapping related to shield connectors, with arbitrary numbering scheme

Power and voltages specifications

Jaluino Medium can provides three voltages on-board, Vin (only when using AC/DC adaptor on jack), 5V and 3.3V:

Jaluino Medium version a and version b

Choosing version a or version b really is just about selecting which regulator you mostly can find, at lowest price. Other Jaluino features remain the same.

Jaluino Medium version a

Version a schematic is also available on Jaluino SVN repository as a PDF file.

Figure 1. Jaluino Medium version a schematic

Jaluino Medium version b

Version b schematic is also available on Jaluino SVN repository as a PDF file.

Figure 2. Jaluino Medium version b schematic

Power sources selection

Jaluino can be powered using different sources (see here for power specifications): a classical AC/DC adaptor, using USB connector or through a serial module (typically a USB-to-serial adaptor). These different possibilities can be configured with jumpers JP1, JP2, JP3 and JP4.

JP1, JP2 and JP3 jumpers are located on top left and JP4 is located on top right of the board, near serial connector.

Figure 1. Four jumpers allow to setup power sources

Figure 2. Serial jumpers setup

Serial setup

Two jumpers can be used to setup serial, basically to configure RTS and CTS. Involved jumpers are JP7 and J7, they are located on top right of the board, near serial connector.

Figure 3. Two jumpers are involved in serial setup (RTS and CTS)

I²C setup

Jaluino Medium has built-in, ready-to-use I²C bus. Jaluino can act as a master or a slave. This behavior is under control of jumpers JP5 and JP6. These jumpers always go by pair: either you plug JP5 and JP6, either you don't plug any jumper at all.¹.

Figure 6. Two jumpers, going by pair, control I²C master/slave behavior

Figure 7. I²C jumpers setup

"Where can I get Jaluino Medium ?"

Before explaining how to build Jaluino Medium board, one may say: "I don't want to build it, where can I get it ?". Good question ! There's currently no way to get Jaluino Medium other than building it.

In other words, you can't buy a PCB, nor a kit, nor a ready-to-use board, there's no such things to sell... Why ? Because most of this is still very new. In order to buy such a board, a big enough user base is needed. So ? Well, if you're interested in buying a PCB, kit or board, please share your interest with Jaluino Group¹ ! By collecting such message, we, Jaluino Team, will be able to have a realistic overview of the need, and may then providing PCB, kit or even the board itself, for a decent price.

Until that time comes, you'll have to build the board. This kind of means it would better if you've already experienced PCB creation, not a pre-requisite, but almost to be honest. Fortunately, Jaluino Medium is designed to be easily built, at home, by average user. Nothing difficult here, it's mostly about having the right tools.

Building the PCB

Building the PCB can be done in different ways, depending on available tools, time, budget, easiness,... One easy way, and probably the cheapest one related to good results it provides, is to create PCB using toner transfert technique. The idea is to print the mirrored PCB on a paper, then tranferring it a copper board, most of the time using an iron (the same used for your shirts... well... maybe not the same !). PCB tracks are thus sticked to the copper board. Put it in echant, and you'll get your PCB. Most variations come from the different papers used.

Figure 1. Jaluino Medium PCB and component view

Labels (bonus)

When building Jaluino Medium board, you want it to be as beautiful as possible. That's normal. In order to add a nice finished and polished look, you can add labels on the component side. Before soldering components, think about it, after it'll be too late... or you'll have to unsolder all components and possibly damage them.

Figure 2. Jaluino Medium labels

Labels can be printed on paper, and sticked onto the component side. If you decide to go this way (which I strongly suggest if you want to impress your wife, friends, co-workers, dog, cat, yourself), follow the guideline here. (TODO: link to "Put labels on your board to make it awesome" tutorial).

Figure 3. Awesome results :)

Soldering components

Once your PCB is ready, use your faithful solder iron, and start soldering components. The following list shows all required components:

Almost all components look like this, to give a rough idea (some are missing, like 3.3V regulator)

Figure 4. Rough overview of Jaluino Medium components

Jaluino boards and shields

Following Arduino's original licensing, Jaluino reference designs for boards and shields, including schematics and PCBs, are released under Creative Common Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license.

Full license lecal code can be read at: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/legalcode

Just like Arduino, you can build your own version of Jaluino derived from original reference designs. But we'd like to keep the name "Jaluino" strictly related to original designs, those coming from Jaluino Team/Group, in order to maintain our own official standards.

Jaluino books and documentation

Jaluino user guide, tutorials and documentation in general is released under a more restrictive license related to commercial usage, the Creative Common Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 license.