Atanua

If you're looking for an educational logic simulator, Atanua might be the software for you. It's a real-time simulator with an intuitive, accelerated user interface that leverages OpenGL.

With Atanua, you can easily place components and wires to create your circuits. All of the common logic blocks you'd expect, including gates, latches, and flip-flops, are included. Additionally, Atanua can simulate around 30 different 74-series chips, along with an 8051 microcontroller variant, opening up a world of possibilities for students.

One of the bonuses of Atanua is that you can mix simulated and pure logic parts in the same circuit, lending even more flexibility to your experiments. There are several different frequency clock inputs, constant level inputs, and buttons that you can bind to your keyboard for further control, along with LEDs in multiple colors and 7-segment displays. There's even a simple logic probe for debugging, making it an all-in-one solution for educational needs.

The simulated components that Atanua uses mimic their real-world counterparts as closely as possible, making it more attractive for students who want to experiment with hardware simulation without having to just look at schematics. The simulations also show the signal state of each wire in real-time, so there's instant feedback.

For instance, parts may output "invalid" signals, letting students know when a circuit isn't working properly, such as when outputs are connected together or missing wiring from chips. As an added bonus, you can make additional parts using the plug-in interface, which provides even more versatility when designing circuits.

One example plugin offered by Atanua is the driver for the Velleman K8055 USB experiment board, which allows you to mix simulated and real-world components for even more realistic experimentation. Finally, there's an anti-cheating tool available for teachers who wish to use Atanua for homework, assuring a level playing field for all students.