Seeed Technology (Seeed Studio)

Seeed Technology

Seeed Technology, commonly known as Seeed Studio, is an open-source "hardware provider focused on emerging technologies like edge AI, robotics, smart sensor system and etc. for technologists worldwide". Seeed Tech. has the vision to become the world's most trusted hardware incubation platform, empowering every innovator to deliver digital transformation. The company's clear mission is to make elite hardware accessible to the common individual. The Seeed Studio Wiki says that the company's core values are openness, agility, responsibility, and simbiosis.

The Seeed Studio Wiki has an extensive index of tutorials concerning how to use, deign with, and operate their products. The company makes hardware (chips), software, and divulges into artificial intelligence with deep neural networks.

Products

Seeed Studio has an extensive index of hardware and software up for affordable purchase, and all of their hardware is open-source. A popular MCU (Microcontroller) Seeed offers is the XIAO MG24 Sense. The company's work in software is almost exclusively artificial intelligence and deep neural networks.

Seeed Studio XIAO MG24 Sense MCU

This MCU has many functions such as built in ML capabilities, a true random-number generator, working antenna, Arduino IDE compatibility, and an Onboard 6-Axis IMU. The MCU also features an onboard microphone. The link to it's wiki page can be found here.

Pin Data Sheet

XIAO Pin	Function	Chip Pin	Alternate Functions	Description
5V	VBUS			Power Input/Output
GND
3V3	3V3_OUT			Power Output
D0	Analog	PC00		GPIO, ADC
D1	Analog	PC01		GPIO, ADC
D2	Analog	PC02		GPIO, ADC
D3	Analog	PC03		GPIO, SPI, ADC
D4	Analog,SDA	PC04		GPIO, I2C Data, ADC
D5	Analog,SCL	PC05		GPIO, I2C Clock, ADC
D6	Analog,TX0	PC06		GPIO, UART Transmit, ADC
D7	Analog,RX0	PC07		GPIO, UART Receive, ADC
D8	Analog,SCK0	PA03		GPIO, SPI Clock, ADC
D9	Analog,MISO0	PA04		GPIO, SPI Data, ADC
D10	Analog,MOSI0	PA05		GPIO, SPI Data, ADC
D11	Analog	PA09	SAMD11_TX	GPIO, UART Receive, ADC
D12	Analog	PA08	SAMD11_RX	GPIO, UART Transmit, ADC
D13	Analog	PB02		GPIO, I2C Clock, ADC
D14	Analog	PB03		GPIO, I2C Data, ADC
D15	Analog,MOSI1	PB00		GPIO, SPI Data, ADC
D16	Analog,MISO1	PB01		GPIO, SPI Data, ADC
D17	Analog,SCK1	PA00		GPIO, SPI Clock, ADC
D18	Analog,CS	PD02	Csn	GPIO, Csn, ADC
ADC_BAT		PD04		Read the BAT voltage value
RF Switch Port Select		PB04		Switch onboard antenna and the UFL antenna
RF Switch Power		PB05		RF Power
Reset		RESET		RESET
CHARGE_LED		VBUS		CHG-LED_Red
USER_LED		PA07		User Light_Yellow

Programming The XIAO MG24 Sense

The XIAO MG24 Sense utilizes the Arduino IDE to program which can be written in C or C++ due to Arduino IDE's configuration. The board must be plugged into a computer via a USB-C cable in order to code. Arduino IDE happens to use the Gcc compiler, so programing in C or C++ is a matter of choice. The chip operates on basic setup() and loop() functions, so there is very little robust programming that can be done on it (considering its 256kB RAM).

void setup(){
    //The code to prepare the MCU goes here
}

void loop(){
    //The program tha loops forever until you unplug the MCU goes here
}

There is no visible main() function because that is hidden from the programmer and injected in preprocessing before compilation time. Due to the lack of flash memory and complete control of the program, there are a few constraints to programming the MCU. The IDE also lacks a terminal apparatus, but there is a Serial monitor and a visual Serial charter. The XIAO MG24 Sense uses UART to communicate with the computer and Serial monitor, but the serial port must be opened.

void setup(){
    Serial.begin(9600);//Opens the port correctly
    while (!Serial) { ; }//Ensures the program does not continue without the port open
    Serial.println("Serial Port Open");//Confirms with user the port is open
}

void loop(){
    
}

The serial monitor does not always work with this specific MCU, but usually it does.

Controlling The I/O Pins

The GPIO pins can be controlled easily. The pin must be specified and its purpose in the setup() function, then it can be manipulated in the loop() function. Often engineers use a bread board and test MCUs, but incorrect usage can lead to terminal behaviors. Motors, LEDs, light bulbs, or IR Emitters directly connected to a MCU's I/O pins draws orders of magnitude of current and often require more voltage than the MCU can provide.

When connecting an LED to an MCU I/O pin, placing a resistor between the pin and the LED or between the LED and GND will prevent the LED from drawing too much current. Calculate the exact resistance needed to prevent terminal behaviors:

$V=IR$

$R=\frac{V}{I}$

V being the total Voltage across a component, therefore V is the final voltage minus the initial:

$V=Vf-Vi$

Motors always must be connected to MCUs through some form of voltage regulator such as a MOSFET, lest they take too much voltage or draw too much current.

const int LED_PIN = 2;//Defines the pin

void steup(){
    pinMode(LED_PIN, OUTPUT);//Specify exactly the function of the pin
}

void loop(){
    digitalWrite(LED_PIN, HIGH);//Turn the pin on
    delay(1000);//Wait 1 second
    digitalWrite(LED_PIN, LOW);//Turn the pin off
    delay(1000);//Wait 1 second
}

Digital pins can receive input as well:

const int BUTTON = 13;//Define the pin
const int LED = 2;

void setup(){
    pinMode(BUTTON, INPUT);//Configure it to receive input
    pinMode(LED, OUTPUT);
}

void loop(){
    int pressed = digitalRead(BUTTON);//Reads the state of the button
    if (pressed == HIGH){
        digitalWrite(LED, HIGH);//When the button is being pressed, the LED turns on
    }
    else if (pressed == LOW){
        digitalWrite(LED, LOW);//When it isn't the LED turns off
    }
}

References

This article "Seeed Technology (Seeed Studio)" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Seeed Technology (Seeed Studio). Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

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