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Based on PIC16F1713 MCU with Core Independent Peripherals


Medical nebulizers are drug delivery devices that break up medications into small aerosol droplets and deliver them directly to the airways for respiratory therapy. Medical nebulizers are commonly used for the treatment of COPD, asthma, cystic fibrosis and other respiratory diseases.

Vibrating mesh nebulizers, as demonstrated by our Vibrating Mesh Nebulizer Demonstration Board, have many advantages such as small size and portability, quiet operation, short treatment times, battery operation, increased output efficiency and minimal residual volume.

Our Vibrating Mesh Nebulizer Demonstration Board shows a unique implementation for cost-effective drug delivery devices. The integrated Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) on the PIC16F1713 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) significantly offload its core in handling the control functions of a piezoelectric transducer mesh nebulizer. These functions include driving the boost and piezo output stages.

Our MCUs with CIPs are designed to handle tasks independently with no code or supervision from the MCU’s core during operation. Using CIPs can shorten the development time of complex control systems, reduce the design’s component count, board size and power consumption, as well as give you the flexibility to innovate.

Download Design Files


Start with the free download of the schematics and 'C' source code that can easily be modified to your specific application needs. 

This demo is not for sale. Please download the design files for your evaluation and prototype development.

This reference design helps youdevelop low-cost piezoelectric transducer driver functionality for nebulizers and other drug delivery devices.*

*Microchip medical reference designs and demos are intended for evaluation and development purposes only. Use of Microchip devices in life support and/or safety applications is entirely at the buyer's risk, and the buyer agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Microchip from any and all damages, claims, suits, or expenses resulting from such use.

System Diagram


Demonstration Highlights


  • Single-chip implementation of a piezoelectric vibrating mesh nebulizer
  • Cost-effective method for drug delivery devices
  • Boost and piezo output stages use only discrete components
  • Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) handle the following functions of this demo:
  • The Configurable Logic Cell (CLC), Pulse-Width Modulators (PWMs), op amps, comparators and Digital-to-Analog Converters (DACs) drive the first boost stage
  • The Numerically Controlled Oscillator (NCO) drives the piezo output stage
  • CIPs significantly offload the MCU’s core, thereby freeing it up for other tasks
  • Powered by three AAA batteries, USB or external power supply
  • Test points and USB interface for easy development and debug

PIC16F1713 MCU Features


  • eXtreme Low Power (XLP) technology
  • Numerically Controlled Oscillator (NCO), Configurable Logic Cell (CLC), Complementary Output Generator (COG) and Zero Cross Detect (ZCD), Core Independent Peripherals
  • Integrated capacitive touch sensing
  • 17-channel 10-bit ADC
  • 8-bit and 5-bit DACs
  • Integrated operational amplifiers
  • Peripheral pin select
  • Several packages available including a small ultra-thin QFN (UQFN) package

Additional Resources


Vibrating Mesh Nebulizer Video


Microchip's Vibrating Mesh Nebulizer

Animation and video demonstration of our vibrating mesh nebulizer