We’ve just built an expanded kit of parts for XOD-based development of custom instrumentation, pictured below. Most of these components have some kind of useful application in biology - monitoring laboratory experiments or making field observations. Each one has some accompanying documentation and instructions for use - which can be seen at: Stage 2 — Biomaker.org (click on a component image to load the relevant information).
The documentation might be useful across the XOD community, so we’d like to share - and be grateful for any comments/suggestions for improvement. (And thanks to the XOD community for all the contributions that we have benefited from!)
There are a number of other interesting parts that suggest themselves: CO2 sensors, different light sensors, including spectrophotometric devices, laser light sources for imaging, potentiometers for bioelectronics - along with some need to compare related devices, like light and temperature sensors, etc.
We’re looking to further expand the collection of documented parts, and links to external libraries - and we’d be grateful for any suggestions.
Yes, RS485 communications are very important - my colleague Antonio Ruiz has been working with a number of RS485 sensors. He mentioned that he’d built a XOD library to work with TTL-RS485 converters - and has just posted it in the libraries section (antoniorruiz/rs485 — XOD). Worth giving a try, and I’m sure that Antonio would be interested in any feedback.
I’ve mainly worked with the standard software and hardware serial libraries in XOD - which have worked really well - mainly for duplax communication with 4D Systems LCD screens. What would you be using the Easy Transfer library for?
XODders might also be interested in the Fritzing part that we’ve had made for the Seeed Grove Beginners Kit - which makes documenting hardware wiring much clearer. (Great for project descriptions). Lots of Fritzing parts for other hardware elements available on their web site.