Updated by Ian Buckley August 14, 2017
If you’re anything like me, then tinkering with electronics is something you’d really like to do — at least in theory. In fact, time constraints and lack of knowledge inevitably prevent you from trying. It’s too difficult. You like taking apart broken gadgets, but never do anything with the bits you find other than hide them for a rainy day (box full of microwave parts? Check it out).
Arduino is the answer to all of this, and to be honest, everything that can be considered fun while learning is, in my opinion, a truly revolutionary device.
Technically, an Arduino is a programmable logic controller. . Officially this platform for creating electronics prototypes With open source — But what does this mean?
For you or for me, it’s like a little computer that you can program, and it interacts with the world through electronic sensors, lights, and motors. Basically, it makes some truly hardcore electronics projects accessible to everyone, so artists and creatives can focus on bringing their ideas to life. It’s the perfect mastering tool!
Quote:
Arduino is an open source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. It is intended for artists, designers, hobbyists and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments.
What can you do about it?
Before discussing what makes Arduino such a revolutionary device, I think it’s best to show you some of my favorite projects that have been made with Arduino.
1. 3D printers
We have shown you MakerBot in the past, which 3D printer. Well, it uses a couple of Arduinos to control things like pushing melted plastic out of the printhead to move the platform.
2. Puff Magic Dragon Fighting Robot
Of course, all kinds of robots are prime candidates for creating with Arduino, but this one is the cutest one I’ve ever seen. Using a robot base frame, 2 motors and 2 light sensors, this little guy can find a heat source, head towards it, and put out the fire — all autonomously.
( * Offline value, it does it on its own without human control ).
If this project interests you, check out how Xod can help you build an Arduino robot.
3. Laser Harp
Amazing trance sounds, lasers, what more could you want?
4. Baker Tweet
An easy way to let customers know fresh bread is made, BakerTweet has a bread selection kit and a tweet button! I think you will agree that this is the most unique use of the Arduino.
5. led cubes
The best way to explain it is to just watch the video — it’s just great; 8x8x8 led cube (that’s 512 LEDs), all control is done by Arduino.
The difficulty level is on the higher side though. Don’t worry if this sounds complicated — we have a complete Arduino LED Cube tutorial that covers everything you need to know.
So fun and games aside, what exactly makes the Arduino so special? Surely there are other programmable controllers?
open source
Arduino is a brand name, but most of the hardware and software they develop is open source. The schematics are available online, so if you don’t want to purchase a ready-made Arduino, you can buy individual components for free and make your own, or buy one of the many cloned devices available. At this point, it’s worth considering whether or not to use the official Arduino board at all!
connection
As a piece of hardware, an Arduino can operate independently (like a robot), connect to a computer (thereby allowing your computer to access sensor data from the outside world and provide feedback), or connect to other Arduinos or other electronic devices. devices and controller chips. Pretty much anything can be connected and only limited by your imagination, the willingness to put in some time and effort to learn something new, and the availability of the components. If you can think of it — Arduino can do it.
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There are thousands of other people and organizations taking Arduino. The upshot of this is that if you’re lacking in the creative department, there’s always a pre-programmed project for you, and there’s always something new to explore. It’s also very easy to get started.
Versatility and cost
The official full Uno board costs $25, and the Uno clone is only $4, making these little electronic wonders accessible to hobbyists and educational institutions alike.
The programming language you are downloading is incredibly simple and should be familiar to anyone with experience with Java or similar languages. (This is actually processing based).
It is also a fantastic learning tool with which you can experiment with electronics and learn the basics. In fact, if we had them when I was in school, I’m pretty sure I would have become a hardware engineer.
Lots of options
Since the release of Arduino, many other companies have adopted the open source hardware principle. Along with the many clone boards hitting the market, there are several unique designs available that are compatible with the Arduino IDE. These boards take the general spirit of the original Arduino boards and add additional features.
A prime example is NodeMCU development board. This board, which is also tiny, has built-in Wi-Fi, and is also compatible with Arduino, can be used as a tiny Node.Js. server. Available for just $3, these tiny boards are so good, we wondered if they would be a direct competitor to the Arduino throne.
