Overview, Included hardware – Pololu Wixel User Manual
Page 3
Wixel programmable USB
wireless module.
Wixel programmable USB
wireless module enabling
wireless communication
between a PC and robot.
1. Overview
The Pololu Wixel is a general-purpose programmable module featuring a
2.4 GHz radio and USB. The Wixel is based around the
microcontroller
from
Texas Instruments, which has an integrated radio transceiver, 32 KB of flash
memory, 4 KB of RAM, and a full-speed USB interface. A total of 15
general-purpose I/O lines are available, including 6 analog inputs, and the
0.1" pin spacing makes the Wixel easy to use with
and perfboards.
We provide free, open-source apps for the Wixel that you can load and
configure with its built-in USB bootloader, turning it into whatever you need
for your current project. Simply download a different app to reuse the Wixel
in your next project.
Our Wireless Serial app turns a pair of Wixels into a wireless USB/TTL
serial link for communication between two microcontrollers or between a PC
and a microcontroller. This can be used, for example, for communication
between two robots or to remotely monitor a robot from a computer. A special
version of this app is designed for use with our
which makes it easy to add wireless
capabilities (including wireless programmability) to an
or Arduino clone. Using an RF bit rate of
350 kbps, the serial app is capable of transmitting or receiving up to 10 KB of
data per second and can reach a range of approximately 50 feet (under typical
conditions indoors). Multiple serial links can be used simultaneously on
different channels. Detailed information about the wireless serial app is
available in
.
Our USB-to-Serial app turns a single Wixel into a USB-to-TTL serial adapter that is capable of baud rates as high as
350,000 bps and supports four serial control signals. This app does not use the radio. Detailed information about this
app is available in
.
Our I/O Repeater app allows you to wirelessly extend the reach of your microcontroller’s I/O lines up to 50 feet
using two or more Wixels. Detailed information about this app is available in
We plan to release additional apps in the future for wireless AVR programming, wireless sensing, and more. You can
also write your own apps using the open-source Wixel SDK (see
) and share them with the community.
Included Hardware
The Wixel is available in two versions:
The
comes with a 25×1
. This version is ideal for compact installations and allows flexibility in choice of
connectors.
The
comes with its header pins soldered in, so it is ready to be
connected to your project with no soldering required.
Pololu Wixel User's Guide
© 2001–2014 Pololu Corporation
1. Overview
Page 3 of 64