The 4-channel Direct Memory Access (DMA) controller in the XMEGA enables fast and CPU independent data transfer between the memories and the peripherals. It can even transfer data directly between any peripheral or between memories. The result is high-speed communication with minimal CPU load. A 4 MB/s UART can be maintained with only 2% CPU load. The DMA Controller is a powerful module for all data oriented applications such as signal and sensor input, industrial control, board controllers and communication gateways. The DMA’s special ability to access I/O pin registers and Timer/Counters have benefits in a bit banged communication, waveform generation, and capturing and timing of digital signals. It is also a great feature for low power applications since it allows the device to spend more time in idle sleep mode. The DMA Controller adds data bandwidth, increases performance, off-loads the CPU, and saves power.