diff --git a/arduino/arduino.py b/arduino/arduino.py
index ae8ec42..17f1eeb 100644
--- a/arduino/arduino.py
+++ b/arduino/arduino.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
 import serial
 
@@ -8,6 +9,7 @@ class Arduino(object):
 
     def __init__(self, port, baudrate=115200):
         self.serial = serial.Serial(port, baudrate)
+        self.serial.write(b'99')
 
     def __str__(self):
         return "Arduino is on port %s at %d baudrate" %(self.serial.port, self.serial.baudrate)
@@ -55,10 +57,13 @@ def turnOff(self):
     def __sendData(self, serial_data):
         while(self.__getData()[0] != "w"):
             pass
-        self.serial.write(str(serial_data))
+        serial_data = str(serial_data).encode('utf-8')
+        self.serial.write(serial_data)
 
     def __getData(self):
-        return self.serial.readline().rstrip('\n')
+        input_string = self.serial.readline()
+        input_string = input_string.decode('utf-8')
+        return input_string.rstrip('\n')
 
     def __formatPinState(self, pinValue):
         if pinValue == '1':
diff --git a/prototype.pde b/prototype.pde
index 11bc7f0..524d5ae 100644
--- a/prototype.pde
+++ b/prototype.pde
@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
+
+#ifndef SERIAL_RATE
+#define SERIAL_RATE         115200
+#endif
+
+#ifndef SERIAL_TIMEOUT
+#define SERIAL_TIMEOUT      5
+#endif
+
 void setup() {
-    Serial.begin(115200);
-    Serial.setTimeout(5);
+    Serial.begin(SERIAL_RATE);
+    Serial.setTimeout(SERIAL_TIMEOUT);
 
     int cmd = readData();
     for (int i = 0; i < cmd; i++) {
@@ -24,7 +33,11 @@ void loop() {
             analogWrite(readData(), readData()); break;
         case 4 :
             //read analog value
-            Serial.println(analogRead(readData()));
+            Serial.println(analogRead(readData())); break;
+        case 99:
+            //just dummy to cancel the current read, needed to prevent lock 
+            //when the PC side dropped the "w" that we sent
+            break;
     }
 }
 
@@ -35,4 +48,4 @@ char readData() {
             return Serial.parseInt();
         }
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}