Inchworm+ Officially Announced & Sneak Peak at UNICORN

I've posted the Inchworm+ assembly manual on my site, schematics, BOM, etc.

Some of you already know about the new Inchworm+ but I have a surprise for you.

I've been working on the Unicorn, a USB upgrade for the Inchworm+

Unicorn uses the 18F4550 and can power the Inchworm+ and it's target up to 400ma.

And better yet I've designed Unicorn to be a USB experimenter too.

• ICD2 for Inchworm (any version)
• 2x16 LCD with backlight control
• 4 push buttons under the LCD
• USB
• RS485

To use it as a very fast ICD2 *up to 15x faster than a serial ICD2* just snap it under the Inchworm+
Or
You can plug in a 2x16 LCD and use it as a USB experimenter
Or
Buy two and sandwich the Inchworm+ between them as a USB-LAB

Note: you can go back and forth between experimenter & ICD2 upgrade. Just depends on how you connect it.

PS you use the Inchworm in serial mode to program it initally...

Sounds great Bill!

Can't wait to see some more details about how you plan to use the massive 4550.

Great job Bill. USB and target power are great... Will check out the unicorn.

Congrats.

EDIT: On man, I could get rid of my old parallel programmer with that switch. I have done the MCLR and INTOSC a few times.

Good job...

Since it's both an ICD2 USB upgrade and an experimenter I can only do so much with the 18F4550.
It's wired so the LCD occupies RD & RE & RB3 for the backlight.
Pushbuttons RB0,1,2,5
USER port RA0-3
UART to RS485 SN75176

A nice idea. Also can't wait to try it out.

Blueroom does it again!!!!

I am really looking forward to seeing this project. I have built the Inchworm + with great success - my own PCB which (I have to brag) worked first time.

The Unicorn sounds great - when can we expect to see the details?

Gosh, well since you asked so nicely...
The Unicorn uses the 40pin header under the Inchworm+ 16F877A.
Here's a beta release of the schematic, it works as shown but is not final.
I was asked to add 4 diodes (RD0-3) and an 8 pin header (a 4x4 external keypad)
PS the USB LED found in most schematics for the USB ICD2 never seems to do anything...
PPS the RS,RW & E lines on the LCD are not yet set in stone, any suggestions on a "industry standard" arrangement?
PPPS I think I should add a choke on the USB power, not familiar with chokes or beads, suggestions?
**broken link removed**

WoW william , i'm off to read about the Inchworm +