uC for senior project...

I've debated for a while on whether or not to post the question, but I figure the worst that could happen is I'd learn something.

I have chosen a senior project for next year (autonomous GPS lawnmower) and am now debating what uC to use. The only uC's I have experience with is the ARM7-LPC2138 and the 8951AC3. I am looking for something with a decent MIP rate but also must be similar in coding to the 8951 or ARM7 as I will not have the time to re-learn a uC. I've searched around and it seems like the 8951 is a bit outdated in the industry, although still popular in schools and other countries. I just feel like I'm learning how to program a uC that I will never use again. I have an internship this summer at a place that uses PIC's, but I'm not sure I would gain enough experience with them to use on a senior project.

Common knowledge tells me to stick with the 8951 because I have the most experience with it, but two things make me want to change: 1) a faster uC for my project and 2) to gain experience with something I have a better chance of using in the industry.

Are there any uC's out there that are similar in coding, yet used more and faster than the 8951? Also, past projects of similar design at my school used two processors- a pre processor and a main.

Thanks for the help and sorry if any assumptions I've made here are incorrect.
Trent

The LPC1700 would be great there fast and 32 bit and easy to use. And fit in with what you been using NXP Semiconductors - Microcontrollers [LPCXpresso]

I been using them for about a year I started with the mbed and the LPCxpresso both cool as can be.

The x51 type micro processors have also be superseded to the 96 / 196 / 296 but I wouldn't go there.. Stick with ARM if you know the architecture.

Ian

LPC1700 is a ARM and the LCPXpresso is a nice board with one on it and includes the programmer and debugger with it and you can cut the board in haft and use them both . There cheap and powerful the 1700 are

NXP Semiconductors, the independent semiconductor company founded by Philips, today announced the LPC1700 series, the industry's fastest microcontroller family based on the ARM® Cortex&tradel-M3 processor. Running at speeds up to 100 MHz, the LPC1700 series of microcontrollers operates from 28 - 64% faster than any competitive Cortex-M3 microcontroller available on the market today. This best-in-class performance allows the LPC1700 series to operate the high-bandwidth communications peripherals such as Ethernet, USB On-The-Go/Host/Device, and CAN simultaneously without bottlenecks.

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Support for communication peripherals including 10/100 Ethernet, USB On-The-Go/Host/Device and two CAN interfaces, all of which can operate simultaneously and without bus contention
A true 12-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and 10-bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC)
Fast-Mode Plus (1 Mb/s) I²C bus, in addition to 4 UARTs, 3 SPI/SSP buses and an I²S bus
Real-Time Clock operating at less than 1 uA
A Memory Protection Unit (MPU) allowing memory regions to be defined as read-only and protect them from corruption
A Quadrature Encoder Interface and Motor Control Pulse Width Modulator (PWM) for flexible, powerful motor control
Revision 2 Cortex-M3 core with enhanced power down capabilities, including Wake-up Interrupt Controller
Pin compatibility with the NXP LPC2300 ARM7 microcontrollers series

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I dont think GPS will cut it because of resolution. Local Fixed position line of sight objects may make more sense.

Thanks for the suggestions. My project is actually part of an annual competition so it has to be GPS guided.

Burt,
I actually think this years team may have used one of the 1700 series uC. Like I said, I have more experience with the 8951 but have enough experience with the ARM to make it work. Perhaps I could use the 2138 as a pre-processor (to make info from external components easier to read for the main processor) and the 1700 as the main.

Thanks again,
Trent

I'm making a GPS reader for a race track logger and display using a LPC1759. Not much need for a preprocessor.

I wouldn't bother with ARM7's anymore. They are more complicated, both hardware and firmware wise than are needed and are already not recommended for new designs by ARM.

I have a LPC1758 and two LPC1114 there unbelievable fast I just wish i could get a full copy of CodeRed

One LPC1759 or 1758 would have no problem running a autonomous GPS lawnmower

And if that don't float your boat get one of thr LPC3XXX

32-bit ARM926EJ-S Core Running at Up to 270MHz
High Speed USB 2.0 OTG with On-Chip PHY
128-Bit AES Decryption Engine (LPC3143/LPC3154)
Stereo Codec, PSU, RTC, and Battery Charger (LPC315x)
Up to 192KB of Internal SRAM
Dynamic Clock Gating and Scaling
NAND Flash Controller with 8-Bit ECC
MMC/SD/SDIO/CE-ATA Memory Card Interface
LCD Interface
Comprehensive Set of Serial Interfaces

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Now i have only used CodeRed which is really easy to use.

Spend the $150 for Rowley Crossworks personal license. Totally unlocked for non-commercial use. It's a very nice easy to use IDE, also based around the GCC compiler.

Well i would need a cheap or home made programmer debugger to replace The LPC-links I have