![]() In addition, we have access to the full scope of the Lua programming language for writing our applications. NodeMCU is a great starting point for Makers as it provides an interactive environment that allows running commands not only for controlling the ESP8266's wireless interface, but also its GPIO and hardware functionality such as i2c and PWM. The commands are sent to the ESP8266 via the Serial UART interface. Based on the eLua project, it runs a Lua interpreter onboard the ESP8266, which is able to execute commands written in the Lua scripting language. NodeMCU is, at the moment, the most popular alternative for firmware running on the ESP8266. Fortunately, Espressif made a Software Development Kit (SDK) available that allowed users to flash different firmware options. However, if we could run the application within the ESP8266 itself then we'd have everything self-contained by a single IC. Whereas the AT commands are the standard way of communicating with wireless-capable ICs (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GSM), they pose the limitation of needing another module to run the application that specifies these commands accordingly. The downside to this is that we need either an additional microcontroller involved or a USB to Serial adapter to send the necessary commands.įor the full list, please see the documentation ( ). We can simply send it a series of commands to achieve our goal. The biggest advantage of this option is that we need not be familiar with any specific language or framework to use the module. The quickest way to get started with the ESP8266 is to use its original firmware, which allows it to process any AT commands that it receives over its Serial UART interface. These allow us to access the module in different ways, as you can see below. For starters, different firmware options have been ported to run on the ESP8266, effectively taking it from a simple Serial to Wi-Fi adapter into a fully functional microcontroller with access to its GPIO and hardware-based functions like PWM, I2C, 1-Wire communication, and ADC all this, of course, in addition to maintaining its Wi-Fi capabilities.Ī few different firmware options are available for the ESP8266. In consequence, a dedicated community has formed around the platform ( ), which has been focused on improving its functionality. The main reason is that this module was the one chosen by the developers of the NodeMCU project for their hardware DevKit 1.0 (see Firmware Options for details about NodeMCU).īecause the ESP8266 provides a cost-effective solution to the rapidly growing market of internet-connected projects and devices (i.e., the so-called Internet Of Things), it has become one of the most popular development platforms over the past year and a half. From the different ESP-NN boards, we began to experiment with the ESP-12E. ![]() However, other ESP-NN boards offer access to a wider variety of pins, although their packaging is of a custom Surface-Mount Device, with castellated pins as seen in the documentation page linked above. ![]() The connector gave access to the pins used for serial communication, namely RX and TX, as well as 4 control pins, GPIO0, GPIO2, CH_PD and RST (reset), along with VCC and GND. For this reason, the ESP-01 board quickly became popular amongst the ESP8266 community becaue of its 2×4, 0.1in-pitch connector that can be easily wired to a USB to Serial adapter. Thus initial usage of the IC was limited to using a either a USB to Serial adapter, or a separate microcontroller (e.g., ATmega328) to issue AT commands over the ESP8266's Serial UART interface. The most salient distinction between different ESP-NN models are the pins that are broken out from the ESP8266 (for a full list see ).Īs the ESP8266 was developed as a Serial to Wi-Fi adapter, its firmware implemented an intertrepeter for AT commands. The most popular ones have been the ESP-NN series, which typically integrate the SoC along with Flash RAM, a crystal, and even an onboard antenna. Quickly after launch, a variety of breakout boards for the ESP8266 started becoming available. This tiny IC includes an RF front end, RAM, and (usually) an onboard TCP/IP stack that allows it ready to connect to a nearby Access Point, to act as an Access Point itself, or both. The ESP8266 was developed by Shangai-based Espressif Systems, as a Serial (UART) to Wi-Fi SoC (System On a Chip) based around a Tensilica Xtensa LX3 DPU. Since the summer of 2014, the ESP8266 has seen a wide adoption as a cost-effective solution for IoT and WiFi-capable devices.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |