Home Catalog Evaluate Download

8051 Microprocessor

The second component of the computer programming curriculum is a simulation of an Intel 8051 microprocessor. This particular microprocessor outsells all others, including the microprocessors used in desktop computers. There are likely to be a few of these in your house and a few more in your car. Just as with the RPN calculator, you get a complete integrated development environment where you construct your program and then watch it run. In this case you will be programming in assembly language, which is still widely used in industry when performance counts.

Microprocessors are used to control intelligent machines such as CD audio players, sewing machines, camcorders, etc. To give you real-world experience with these types of applications, this 8051 simulator allows you to write 8051 programs that interface with a scrolling electronic signboard, a motorized mechanical mouse that searches through a maze looking for cheese, and an LED bar graph used to display the instantaneous volume peaks in arbitrary .WAV files (i.e., songs) being played through the speakers. Thanks to 54,000 words of on-line Help documentation and 24 fully-explained example programs you will learn to program the 8051 microprocessor and use it to control each of these three unique and fun environments.

A screen capture of the 8051 Simulator when configured with the scrolling electronic signboard is shown below:

Another screen capture of the 8051 Simulator when configured with the maze is shown below:

Another screen capture of the 8051 Simulator when configured with the audio peak detector is shown below. Note that you can employ any .WAV file, including ones you rip from your own CD collection.

If you would like to see what a typical program for the 8051 microprocessor looks like, click here.


Return to the Catalog of Programs