Re: quieries related to math handling in micro controllers

On Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:28:20 -0600, yasha wrote:

hello folks..
I'm doing a project related to 8051 micro controller, it is required to
handle floating point numbers to a great precision. is there any way
with which this can be done easily with 8051 or is there any
mathematical controller that can do a better job? please let me know..

regards,
yasha...

Some rehashing here:

What is "great precision"? Your "great precision" may be my "lousy
precision", or visa-versa. If you need 32-bit floating point, then just
about any C toolchain will give it to you. If you need 64-bit floating
point, then you should be able to get that, too (but I'd check to see if
'double' is supported -- it should be, but it may have been left by the
wayside). If you need more precision than 64 bits you'll probably have
to find a numerical library that'll work, or write your own -- although
you may luck out and find a toolchain that supports a 128-bit "long
double".

What are your speed requirements? As mentioned, an 8051 is a slow old
thing, even when it's being clocked fast. The more precision you
implement, the slower it'll go.

It's not clear what you mean by "mathematical processor". If you're
looking for a coprocessor to use with your 8051, I don't think anyone
makes those any more -- there are too many good processors, and it's too
easy to whip one up on an FPGA if you just _have_ to have a coprocessor.
If you're looking for a processor that's faster at math than an 8051,
then look at just about anything that's not an 8051.

--
Tim Wescott
Control systems and communications consulting
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Need to learn how to apply control theory in your embedded system?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" by Tim Wescott
Elsevier/Newnes, http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html
.

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