Firmware-810 Operation

The WiDig is powered via its USB microB connector, communicates via a BLE attribute or a USB virtual serial port using the MIDI message protocol, and can operate in host mode or stand-alone mode. Host mode is intended for using the WiDig with a computer that processes the sensor data and/or controls the actuator outputs, while stand-alone mode is intended for using the WiDig either on its own, where sensor data is mapped to actuator outputs, or together with BLE-MIDI capable devices.

To set the WiDig mode, use the SET MODE command.

Power

The WiDig is powered via its USB microB connector and provides 5V power to the connected sensors/actuators. It typically uses about 150mA but will draw more depending on the sensors and actuators connected to it. If its current draw exceeds the maximum allowed (which is usually 500 mA) for the USB hub where the WiDig is connected you might get a system message on your computer or mobile device warning you about this or the hub will simply shut the power off. In this case you will need to get a powered hub so that it can provide sufficient current to the WiDig.

Standalone Mode

Stand-alone mode allows the WiDig to be used with its internal signal processing so that another MIDI capable device (which could be a computer or mobile device) can directly use the calculated end result. Processing and mapping of sensor data, and control of actuator outputs happens in the WiDig itself, so once it has been programmed using our configuration software (free to download from our website) it can run by itself or it can be patched to MIDI-capable software or devices. This mode allows sensor inputs to be mapped to channel voice MIDI messages. Stand-alone mode commands (including STREAM and INTERVAL), contrary to host mode commands, change the settings stored in non-volatile memory as well as volatile memory. Stand-alone mode commands are executed in both modes of operation, even though in host mode no channel voice MIDI messages are output to reflect any changed settings.

Host Mode

Host mode requires that the WiDig is connected with a host computer to control and store the WiDig settings, and process the sensor data and/or control the actuator outputs. In host mode, unprocessed, raw sensor values are output only as system exclusive MIDI messages (ie. no stand-alone mode type channel voice MIDI messages are processed from sensor values or output). When using Max/MSP software, host mode allows multiple iCube / oCube Max/MSP objects for each WiDig (to this end, some of the commands are echoed back to the host computer). Host mode commands (except STREAM and INTERVAL), contrary to stand-alone mode commands, do not change the settings stored in non-volatile memory but only the settings stored in volatile memory. Generally, host mode commands have the same effect in either mode of operation.

Communication

To communicate with the WiDig you need to setup it up as a BLE device on your computer or mobile device, or connect its USB cable to your computer or mobile device and install the supplied driver available for download from our web site (Windows or MacOS). if connected via USB, you can establish a connection with the WiDig by using our free Connect software or use the virtual COM port (VCP) with your own application (such as the serial object in Max/MSP). If you are using the VCP the COM port setting of the WiDig is 115200 bps, no parity, 1 stop bit, 8 data bits, hardware data flow control disabled. The WiDig is compliant with the USB v2.0 specification and uses the full-speed (12Mbps) transfer rate.

Flow Control

In host mode the WiDig doesn't detect when the COM port is open because it doesn't use hardware data flow control (eg. by using the RTS and CTS pins of the COM port). So it's irrelevant if the software application you are using (eg. the Max/MSP serial object) has hardware data flow control.

The COM port can be open but until the WiDig receives a byte (that your software application must send), the WiDig pauses data processing and the IN and OUT LED on the WiDig flash once a second. Once a byte has been received data processing resumes and the IN or OUT LED will only be ON momentarily once every second when data is received or transmitted as per their definition below, even after the COM port is closed.

When the WiDig is in stand-alone mode data processing is never paused, and the IN or OUT LED will only blink when data is received or transmitted.

Protocol

In this documentation the communication protocol used by the WiDig is based on the MIDI protocol. Despite the fact that the WiDig has a different baud rate than standard MIDI devices, uses a serial port and has no MIDI cables, you can use it as a MIDI device by running our free Connect software that makes the serial port data available at a MIDI port on the computer. This way you can use any MIDI application to communicate with the WiDig. The “MIDI input” and “MIDI output” expressions used in this document therefore refer to a communication setup as established between the WiDig and the computer running our Connect software.

LED status indications

IN LED definition	The WiDig will give visual feedback via the yellow IN LED on the bottom red PCB for any data received from its BLE or USB interface. Each time data is received from the interface the IN LED will be ON momentarily.
OUT LED definition	The WiDig will give visual feedback via the green OUT LED on the bottom red PCB, for any data sent to its BLE or USB interface. Each time data is sent to the interface the OUT LED will be ON momentarily.
POWER LED definition	The WiDig will give visual feedback via the red POWER LED on the bottom red PCB when power is received from the USB connector. When the power at the sensor input connector is 5V the POWER LED is normally lit. When the power at the sensor input connector is below 5V because of a short circuit or an excessive supply current, the POWER LED will be dimmed.
IN and OUT LEDs blinking	If the WiDig is in host mode, the IN and OUT LED on the WiDig will blink once a second after the COM port is closed and until it receives a byte.
POWER and OUT LEDs ON	If the POWER and OUT LED are ON immediately after power the WiDig, the firmware didn't complete its bootup. Please contact us for help.
POWER, IN and OUT LEDs ON	If all LEDs are ON, the WiDig has encountered an unexpected error. Power it off and then on again to reset it.
BLE LED definition	The WiDig will give visual feedback via the blue BLE LED on the top black PCB, about the status of its BLE interface.
BLE LED blinking	If the blue BLE LED is blinking, the BLE interface is advertising its availability for other devices to connect to it.
BLE LED ON	If the blue BLE LED is ON, the BLE interface has established a connection with another device.