Hardware

Microcontroller (MCU)

A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer integrating a processor core, memory, and peripherals such as timers, ADCs, PWM generators, and communication interfaces, designed for deterministic, low-power embedded control. In robots, MCUs run motor control loops, read sensors, and enforce safety interlocks with microsecond-level timing that general-purpose operating systems cannot guarantee, typically communicating with a host computer over CAN, EtherCAT, serial, or USB.

Why it matters for physical AI

Hard real-time motor and safety loops live on microcontrollers regardless of how intelligent the high-level policy is; the MCU layer defines the reliable, deterministic interface that learned controllers command.