Interfacing with an SSI sensor?
It's just SPI.

SPI.begin();
SPI.setDataMode(SPI_MODE2);

// ...

uint8_t h = SPI.transfer(0x00);
uint8_t l = SPI.transfer(0x00);
delayMicroseconds(20); // Indicate EOT
uint16_t v = (h &lt;&lt; 8) | l;
v &gt;&gt;= 4; // for 12 bit resolution, 5 for 11 bit, 6 for 10 bit etc.


For 8 bit resolution or less you only need one SPI.transfer, and subtract 8 from the right-shift amount.

Wiring is simple: clock to SCK (52 or ICSP 3) and data to MISO (50 or ICSP 1).

The timing diagrams in the datasheet (page 5) describe it all in detail.