This Guide Demonstrates How Easy XOD Makes UART Communication Between Arduinos

Working with a single Arduino is extraordinarily simple — that’s the whole point. For many projects, a single Arduino Uno or Nano is…

Cameron Coward
5 years ago

Working with a single Arduino is extraordinarily simple — that’s the whole point. For many projects, a single Arduino Uno or Nano is sufficient, and you can always use an Arduino Mega or Due if you need a lot of pins. But, some projects will require multiple boards and a way for them to communicate. The XOD visual programming language for microcontrollers makes that easier than ever, and this guide teaches you how to set up UART communication.

Most Arduino boards include an on-board UART (universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter) chip to enable serial communication via the USB port. That how you upload sketches to the board, and how your computer and Arduino talk to each other when the program calls for it. It can also be used for communication between two Arduinos, but programming that is a hassle. With XOD it’s a snap, and in this guide that’s demonstrated with one Arduino that controls LEDs that are connected to a second Arduino.

To follow this tutorial, you’ll need two Arduino Unos, two potentiometers, two LEDs, and some jumper wires and resistors. The first board is wired to control the LEDs as outputs, and the second takes potentiometer readings as inputs. After installing XOD, create a “patch” (their term for a sketch/program) for each board. Because it’s visual, you just place blocks that represent pins and what you want to do with them. Then, all you need to do is determine how the collected data should be formatted, and tell it transfer through UART. While this project is basic, it shows how straightforward XOD is to use.

Cameron Coward
Writer for Hackster News. Proud husband and dog dad. Maker and serial hobbyist.
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