Pololu
A-Star 32U4 Micro
The Pololu A-Star 32U4 Micro is a general-purpose programmable module based on the ATmega32U4 AVR microcontroller from Microchip. It packs 32 KB of flash, 2....
The Pololu A-Star 32U4 Micro is a general-purpose programmable module based on the ATmega32U4 AVR microcontroller from Microchip. It packs 32 KB of flash, 2.5 KB of RAM, and built-in USB into a tiny 1″ × 0.6″ DIP package — even smaller than competing ATmega32U4 boards like the Teensy 2.0 and Pro Micro.
Its 0.1″ pin spacing makes the A-Star easy to use with solderless breadboards, perfboards, and standard connectors. A voltage regulator and power selection circuit allow it to run from USB or an external 5.5–15 V source.
Key Features
- ATmega32U4 MCU – 32 KB flash, 2.5 KB RAM, built-in USB
- 16 MHz Resonator – Stable clock source
- 15 GPIO Pins – Including 7 PWM outputs and 8 analogue inputs; 3 more via ISP header
- USB Micro-B – For programming and power
- Flexible Power – USB or external 5.5–15 V with reverse protection
- PTC Fuse – Resettable fuse on USB VBUS for accidental damage protection
- Compact – Only 1″ × 0.6″ in a 20-pin DIP form factor
- ISP Header – 6-pin header for in-system programming
- Indicator LEDs – Two onboard status LEDs
Resources
Package Contents
- 1× A-Star 32U4 Micro
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- AVR
- AVR is a family of 8-bit microcontrollers used in many classic Arduino-style boards. If a USB host library mentions AVR support, it suggests the examples or compatibility may be aimed at those older microcontroller boards.
- GPIO
- General-purpose input/output pins are microcontroller pins you can set in software to read signals, switch devices on and off, or connect to peripherals. The number of GPIO pins matters because it limits how many buttons, LEDs, sensors, and other parts you can wire directly to the board.
- ISP
- An image signal processor is hardware that helps process raw camera data into usable images or video. It matters for vision projects because it can improve camera handling and reduce the processing load on the main CPU.
- microcontroller
- A microcontroller is a small computer on a chip that runs your program and controls connected inputs and outputs. For this product, it is the part that reads buttons and sensors, drives the display and speaker, and communicates over Bluetooth.
- PTC fuse
- A resettable fuse that increases its resistance when too much current flows, helping protect the board from short circuits or overloads. It matters because it can recover after a fault instead of needing replacement like a traditional fuse.
- PWM
- Pulse Width Modulation is a way for a digital pin to simulate variable output power by switching on and off very quickly. It matters for controlling things like LED brightness, motor speed, or servo-style signals from a microcontroller pin.
- RAM
- RAM is temporary memory used while a device is running, and its contents are lost when power is removed. A “Run in RAM” mode is useful for testing settings without permanently programming the module, but it may not support every feature.
- VBUS
- A label often used for the main bus or supply voltage being measured or distributed on a board. Knowing what VBUS refers to helps you wire the monitor to the correct point in the circuit, especially for high-side measurements.
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