Multiprocessing: Linking the Arduino for More Power

Abstract

Certain projects may not lend themselves well to an individual Arduino, because of possible limitations with the hardware, such as a processor’s speed or limited memory. Multiprocessing can add greater functionality to a system; this is commonly seen with Arduino in the form of coprocessors connected via shields such as the Ethernet shield. Coprocessor-style shields share their functionality with the Arduino to offload complex processes, but still allow the Arduino to have the main control. Multiprocessing is normally associated with high-level computing when it is infeasible to make a single device perform at required speeds. The principles of supercomputing can be applied to microcontrollers. This chapter explorers the fundamental hurdle of multiprocessing by examining reliable communication between two or more processors.