ATtiny Series Microcontrollers

The **ATtiny** series by **Microchip (formerly Atmel)** is a family of **8-bit microcontrollers** based on the **AVR RISC architecture**. They are designed for low-power applications and are widely used in **small embedded systems, IoT devices, and battery-powered projects**.

Architecture Overview

Based on **AVR RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computing) architecture**
Harvard architecture with **separate instruction and data memory**
**8-bit CPU core** with register-based execution
Supports **internal oscillators** (1 MHz to 20 MHz)
Low-power modes, **sleep, and watchdog timers**

Memory and Storage

**Flash memory** ranging from **1 KB to 16 KB**
**SRAM** up to **512 bytes**
**EEPROM** up to **512 bytes** for non-volatile data storage

Peripherals and Features

**GPIO (General Purpose I/O)** - Up to 12 configurable pins
**PWM (Pulse Width Modulation)** - Up to 6 channels
**ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter)** - 8-bit and 10-bit resolution
**Timers** - 8-bit and 16-bit timers
**USART, SPI, I2C (TWI)** - Communication interfaces
**Low Power Operation** - Ideal for battery-powered devices

ATtiny Series Variants

Model	Flash Memory	SRAM	EEPROM	GPIO	ADC	Special Features
ATtiny85	8 KB	512 B	512 B	6	10-bit	Internal 8MHz Oscillator, Low-Power Sleep
ATtiny84	8 KB	512 B	512 B	12	10-bit	More GPIOs, Enhanced ADC
ATtiny13	1 KB	64 B	64 B	6	10-bit	Ultra Low Power

Using ATtiny with Arduino IDE

The **ATtiny85, ATtiny84, and ATtiny13** can be programmed using the **Arduino IDE** by installing support for these microcontrollers.

1. Install ATtiny Board Support

Open Arduino IDE and go to File > Preferences. Add the following URL in **Additional Board Manager URLs**:

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/damellis/attiny/ide-1.6.x-boards-manager/package_damellis_attiny_index.json

Then, go to Tools > Board > Board Manager, search for **ATtiny** and install it.

2. Connect an Arduino as ISP

To program ATtiny, we use an **Arduino Uno as an ISP programmer**:

Arduino Uno      ATtiny85
--------------------------
5V             VCC (Pin 8)
GND            GND (Pin 4)
10             RESET (Pin 1)
11             MOSI (Pin 5)
12             MISO (Pin 6)
13             SCK (Pin 7)

Then, in Arduino IDE:

Go to Tools > Board > ATtiny85
Select Processor > ATtiny85
Select Clock > Internal 8 MHz
Set **Programmer** to **Arduino as ISP**
Click **Burn Bootloader**

3. Uploading Code to ATtiny

Use this simple **LED blink** test:


void setup() {
    pinMode(0, OUTPUT); // Set Pin 0 as output
}
void loop() {
    digitalWrite(0, HIGH);
    delay(500);
    digitalWrite(0, LOW);
    delay(500);
}

Upload the sketch by selecting Sketch > Upload Using Programmer.

Applications of ATtiny Microcontrollers

IoT and Smart Devices
Battery-Powered Sensors
Wearable Electronics
LED Control and Small Automation
Custom Keyboards and Peripherals

Conclusion

The ATtiny series provides **small, low-cost**, and **low-power** solutions for **simple embedded applications**. They can be programmed easily using the **Arduino IDE**, making them ideal for **hobbyists and professionals** alike.