Microchip Introduces PIC16F17576 MCU Family to Simplify Analog Sensor Design

Devices designed for capturing rapidly changing analog signals must respond quickly while consuming minimal power, especially in battery-operated applications. To address these demands, Microchip Technology has released the PIC16F17576 microcontroller (MCU) product family with integrated low-power peripherals and the ability to precisely measure volatile analog signals.

PIC16F17576 MCUs feature a new low-power comparator and voltage reference combination that can operate while the MCU core is in sleep mode, allowing for continuous analog measurement while consuming less than 3.0 µA of current. The Analog Peripheral Manager (APM) controls which peripherals are active to minimize total energy consumption and enable battery-operated applications to monitor signals effectively without excessive power drain.

Engineered for applications that measure volatile analog signals, PIC16F17576 MCUs include operational amplifiers (op amps) with software-controlled gain ladders. This feature enables a single op amp to switch between multiple gain options, helping mitigate noise while maintaining precision and power efficiency. Equipped with up to four op amps and a 12-bit differential ADC with automated averaging, the MCUs enable precise signal measurement over a wide range of inputs (more info).