Custom Hardware PinPong Library
AntonioBenci 2025-04-08 09:51:07 806 Views4 Replies Good morning all.
I need to develop some custom DAQ hardware for use with Unihiker M10. Part of the development will require writing a custom firmware module for PinPong. In the documentation https://wiki.dfrobot.com/pinpong_introduction it mentions the following;
With the PinPong library, you can directly program various common open-source hardware with Python code. The principle is to burn a specific firmware into the open-source hardware, enabling it to communicate with the computer via the serial port and execute various commands.
Where is this firmware retrievable from?
Any pointer would be very much appreciated.
Thanks.
The Custom Hardware PinPong Library enables developers to control hardware components effortlessly using Python, supporting multiple platforms and simplifying embedded systems programming. https://wifipiso.net/
lpbpiso.wifi In PinPong v0.6.1, the firmware for the GD32 (on the UniHiker M10) is already pre-built, mapping its peripherals (onboard sensors, edge connectors) as Linux devices. This means you can directly use Python libraries like smbus for I2C communication or interact with Linux device-tree files (e.g., /sys/class/gpio) to control peripherals,configure I/O modes by editing /opt/.io_config.txt (Linux device-tree approach).. No custom firmware development is required for GD32 in this setup.
Hope this helps!
LL So, if I understand correctly, my hardware, which is connected through an I2C interface can be added as a smbus device.
If the sensor hardware connects through a Pi Pico and is connected through a serial interface, how is the Pi Pico firmware defined, is it equivalent to Firmata? Many of the examples indicate use of a serial connection between an Uno and the Unihiker M10?
This is where there is little available clarity.
Regards.
Yes, your hardware can connect to the Unihiker's I2C interface and be controlled using PinPong's I2C classes or smbus directly.
If you prefer connecting your sensor to a Pi Pico instead of the Unihiker's onboard I/O, you'll need to write custom firmware for the Pico to read sensor data and transmit it via serial communication. This approach is conceptually similar to Firmata but not identical, as you'll define your own serial protocol for data exchange.
A clarification about PinPong's architecture:
The library supports multiple boards (Uno, Unihiker, ESP32, etc.), with the Arduino Uno implementation using a Firmata-like protocol under the hood.
However, examples showing Uno connections typically involve the Uno being connected to a PC running Python/PinPong, not to the Unihiker. This is because the Unihiker has native I/O capabilities (via its GD32 chip and Linux system), making external MCUs like the Uno unnecessary in most cases.
