#garfield Logs

May 04 2025

11:34 AM rue_mohr: :( seem to ahve bricked a ch32
11:51 AM rue_mohr: trying to get serial working on the soic
11:51 AM rue_mohr: 8
11:58 AM aandrew: that sucks
11:59 AM aandrew: I have been thinking about virtualized processors a bit lately
11:59 AM rue_mohr: mhm
12:01 PM aandrew: pretty much all the "get kids into coding with physical devices" type projects do it, but I've sort of settled on https://microblocks.fun because it's not only open but the web client can be 100% local which is pretty important to me. the "emulated microcontroller" is pretty basic but gets the job done
12:02 PM aandrew: you can use whatever hardware you can build the virutal runtime for: esp8266, esp32, nrf51/52, pretty much every arduino, etc. I wanted esp32 for the wireless
12:02 PM aandrew: oh and the development model is scratch based of course but it's also "live" -- if the board is connected (wired or wireless) you get immediate feedback with whatever the physical hardware is seeing/doing
12:02 PM aandrew: that's another huge point
12:02 PM aandrew: anyway
12:03 PM aandrew: back to virtualized processors - emulating MIPS seems to be the common target for a lot of those "run linux on X" parlour tricks but I'm thinking smaller
12:04 PM aandrew: perhaps emulating a simple rv32i would be a good target, and developing a basic set of virtual peripherals
12:05 PM aandrew: also looking to use the same thing for a tiny embedded SoC on FPGAs when you just need something small to do software that's too difficult/big to do in hardware
12:06 PM aandrew: but that got me thinking a little differently -- why not aim for an rv32{something} as the virtualized system but write a HAL that targets native execution/peripherals where possible
12:07 PM aandrew: so you're developing for the virtual hardware but if the HAL has an STM32F401 backend then it's not virtualizing the cpu or peripherals, it's just mapping it directly with the thinnest of veneers
12:07 PM aandrew: same for ESP32, CH32, etc. to whatever extent possible
12:08 PM aandrew: I mean it's challenging for any number of reasons but a LOT of the grunt work we do really does not need speed or low power so you could conceivably grab whatever hardware you have handy and the code just works
12:09 PM aandrew: this is arduino/platformio but without the bullshit of either platform
12:13 PM rue_mohr: I guess linux doesn't run on ch32 yet?
12:59 PM aandrew: I'm sure it does if you use the MIPS emulator trick
12:59 PM aandrew: I mean it runs on a 4004 that way
04:53 PM polprog: mips seems to be the target because its widely taught and there are probably tons of emulators
04:54 PM polprog: which is weird because risc-v is now old enough to run linux
04:54 PM polprog: the ecosystem is pretty good
07:59 PM rue_shop2: grr, mowerbot needs another battery
08:05 PM rue_mohr: OK, i THINK i GOT IT
08:05 PM rue_mohr: and caps
09:10 PM rifraf: polprog you you going to show me your spinning top, and let me know if the app worked
10:13 PM rue_mohr: https://bsky.app/profile/ruenahcmohr.bsky.social/post/3lofeoqg6t22r
10:14 PM rue_mohr: gradually making progress on the tech to start being a cyborg :]
11:07 PM rue_shop2: SmokingProgress needs more efficient 5V regulator