Brainfuino [-]+.

An Arduino competitor that runs native brainfuck! I've condensed the explanation in this video: https://youtu.be/QloNq8AoHvU

Before going further, please make sure you know (or remember) what brainfuck is. Here's Wikipedia's entry as a refresher.

Also, before moving forward: This is not a joke. It is about a joke programming language, but a joke lots of nerds are very fond of. When I say nerds, I mean real geeks: Not gamers or technophiles, but geeks who like to read The Art of Computer Programming just for kicks!

The Brainfuino [-]+. (pronounced "Brainfuino Uno") is a development board for a brainfuck soft processor I wrote in Verilog, named brainfuck_uP (as in "brainfuck microprocessor"), which runs brainfuck code natively, that is, the plain text of a brainfuck source file, yes, ascii characters.

Here are some details:

• brainfuck_uP is implemented in a Lattice MachXO2 FPGA, very much like the one in the TinyFPGA AX2 board, but in a TQFP100 package.
• brainfuck_uP is a Harvard machine, so it has two separate buses for its program and data memories.
• The Brainfuino has a 128kB RAM chip and a 256kB chip, both with a good old parallel interface to work as the data and program memories of brainfuck_uP respectively.
• The I/O is adapted from 3.3V logic to TTL with a separate chip (to resemble the Arduino Uno).
• The host computer interface is a USB Virtual COM port implemented with an STM32F072 MCU, which overrides the input/output ports of brainfuck_uP for easy user-brainfuck interaction.
• The MCU is also donating its ADC to give Brainfuino the power of analog input.
• The board has hardware for updating both the MCU firmware and the FPGA design.

Advantages over the Arduino Uno

This product is intended as anything around brainfuck and esoteric programming languages: A joke. An elaborate joke. A geek toy.

So, if we take the Arduino as a competitor, here are some advantages:

• Brainfuino runs brainfuck! You'll get to learn a classic esoteric programming language.
• Brainfuino is the only brainfuck MCU platform of its kind (that I know of).
• Brainfuino is capable of at least competing with the Arduino by having an analog input channel.
• Brainfuino may serve as a teaching tool for several things: FPGA soft-processor development, computer science, esoteric programming languages, tinkering, hardware, etc.
• Lots of fun by matching the Arduino Community's codebase.
• Bragging rights for writing code that works! You certainly won't get that from the Arduino.
• A Guinness Record may come out from the Brainfuino Community. Think an Operating System, or an actual home security system!

Computer Languages

There are three computer languages involved. Only the first one is really intended for the end-user:

• brainfuck: Users will write their code in brainfuck, and the Brainfuino will run it.
• Verilog: brainfuck_uP was written in Verilog. The final .jedec file may be written into the FPGA's internal ROM at any time.
• C/C++: The firmware in the STM32 MCU was written in C. This firmware can be written into the MCU at any time as well.

Related Projects

• brainfuck_uP. The soft processor running on the Brainfuino.

• Brainfuino MCU firmware. The firmware running in the STM32F072 MCU.

• Visual brainfuck. A brainfuck IDE I finished back in 2011.

Contact

Eduardo Corpeño

For bug report or anything related to Brainfuino, I may be reached at [email protected]