Firmata

Firmata is a protocol that allows a computer to control and communicate with an Arduino microcontroller via a serial connection. By uploading the Firmata firmware to the microcontroller, you can use external software (e.g., Isadora, TouchDesigner, Max/MSP and Processing) to control hardware without needing to write and upload specific Arduino sketches for each task. It simplifies prototyping and supports various programming languages but may not be ideal for time-sensitive applications.