IMG_2335 Probably the last part to be added to Decimus will be the Nokia 3410 LCD screen. Nearly all of my mice have these either permanently fitted or attached by a simple socket so they can be removed. With a resolution of 96×64 pixels, this screen is an ideal debugging aid. The display is relatively simple to drive if you have an SPI port available. The more commonly available 3310 screen has a lower resolution and cannot easily display a picture of the entire maze. With the 3410 model, it is possible to either show the maze or to have 8 lines of 16 characters of data displayed.

Because Decimus is the most compact micromouse I have yet built, the display sits on a couple of small riser boards, made from veroboard, to allow it to clear the motors and batteries. Not only is the graphical LCD smaller than the more common 16×2 text display, it is cheaper and lighter. With a bit of care, the display can replace many, if not all, the practical functions of a real-time debugger.

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