According to Texas Instruments online product information:
“The Texas Instruments MSP430 family of ultralow-power microcontrollers consists 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 portable measurement 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 allows wake up from low-power modes to active mode in less than 5 μs.
The MSP430F51x2 series are microcontroller configurations with two 16-bit high-resolution timers, universal serial communication interfaces (USCI_A0 and USCI_B0), 32-bit hardware multiplier, a high performance 10-bit analog-to-digital converter, on-chip comparator, three-channel DMA, 5-V tolerant I/Os, and up to 29 I/O pins. The MSP430F51x1 series are microcontroller configurations with two 16-bit high-resolution timers, universal serial communication interfaces (USCI_A0 and USCI_B0), 32-bit hardware multiplier, on-chip comparator, three-channel DMA, 5-V tolerant I/Os, and up to 29 I/O pins.
Typical applications for these devices include analog and digital sensor systems, LED lighting, digital power supply, motor control, remote controls, thermostats, digital timers, hand-held meters, etc.
The board was co-designed by Texas Instruments and the University of Colorado EE department to address educational needs. With students in mind, it has been aggressively priced at only $35.00, fully populated and ready to go.