The Texas Instruments MSP430 family of ultralow-power microcontrollers consist of several devices featuring different sets of peripherals targeted for various applications. The architecture, combined with five low-power modes is optimized to achieve extended battery life in portablemeasurement applications. The device features a powerful 16-bit RISC CPU, 16-bit registers, and constant generators that contribute to maximum code efficiency.The digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) allows wake-up from low-power modes to active mode in less than 1 μs.

The MSP430x22xx series is an ultralow-power mixed signal microcontroller with two built-in 16-bit timers, a universal serial communication interface, 10-bit A/D converter with integrated reference and data transfer controller (DTC), two general purpose operational amplifiers in the MSP430x22x4 devices, and 32 I/O pins.

Typical applications include sensor systems that capture analog signals, convert them to digital values, and then process the data for display or for transmission to a host system. Stand alone RF sensor front end is another area of application.