http://www.parallaxinc.com

The BASIC Stamp I is part of Parallax's family of microcontrollers and microcontroller development tools.  It is programmable in Parallax's proprietary PBASIC language, which is a snap to learn and convenient to use.

The BASIC Stamp microcontrollers provide a tremendous amount of functionality in a small, low-power package.  The Stamps can be connected to a desktop PC via an ordinary serial or parallel cable for programming, and can perform powerful functions like pulse measurement and sourcing and RS-232 communications while maintaining a simple programming interface.  The command language can be learned in an evening and mastered in days.

These microcontrollers are an excellent choice for hardware developers looking for these sorts of powerful features without spending a lot of time and money acquiring numerous development tools like evaluation boards, chip burners, EPROM erasers, and learning complex machine languages.  They have enough built-in power to operate numerous output devices like LEDs and buzzers, and their onboard voltage regulators allow them to function on a variety of standard power supply voltages.

Many peripheral devices are also available, such as serially-controlled LCD displays, that are designed to work directly with BASIC Stamps, increasing their flexibility and functionality.

For more information, visit Parallax's Web site at www.parallaxinc.com.  Their site provides a generous helping of information on all their products, including ALL FULL DOCUMENTATION with application notes!

Also, Parallax provides discounted products to educational organizations from their site at http://www.stampsinclass.com/.