IAR Systems has announced a new version of its KickStart Kit that supports the Luminary Micro LM3S102, one of the Luminary Stellaris family of microcontrollers, which feature the ARM® Cortex-M3 32-bit microcontroller core. The KickStart Kit provides a route for MCU system developers to test-drive the Stellaris microcontrollers and includes a free tool suite to allow them to progress rapidly to a working system. The ground-breaking ARM Cortex M3 architecture featured in Stellaris microcontrollers provides 32-bit performance with an ease of use and price point that rival those of 8/16 bit devices. Each Kit includes an evaluation board fitted with the Luminary microcontroller, an applications CD-ROM containing IAR Embedded Workbench v4.40 for ARM with Cortex-M3 support in an 8kB code-size limited version that supports the full Flash capability of the LM3S102.

The kit includes a debugger with Flash download capability, an integrated IAR J-Link JTAG interface, a USB cable, a QuickStart Guide, and documentation and warranty information for both IAR Embedded Workbench and the Luminary Micro Stellaris microcontroller. IAR Embedded Workbench v4.40 for ARM with Cortex M3 is a set of development tools for building and debugging embedded system applications, and includes a Thumb2 C/C++ compiler developed specifically for the Cortex M3 architecture. Embedded Workbench provides a integrated development environment that also includes a project manager, editor, build tools and the versatile C-SPY debugger with Flash download capability. The 8kB code size limit is sufficient to program the full Flash size of the LM3S102, meaning that the compiler included in the IAR KickStart Kit is capable of full-scale prototyping as well as evaluation. The IAR J-Link JTAG interface technology integrates seamlessly into Embedded Workbench and is fully plug-and-play compatible. The Stellaris MCU family is a silicon implementation of the 32-bit ARM Cortex-M3 processor and is targeted at embedded and industrial applications such as building and home automation; factory automation and control; and industrial control power devices.

With pricing starting at $1.00 for Stellaris MCUs, Luminary Micro’s Stellaris microcontrollers allow for standardization that eliminates future architectural upgrades or software tools changes, yet at the same price as today’s 8- and 16-bit systems. The IAR KickStart Kit for Luminary Micro LM3S102 is available now for $99.