Arduino

What is Arduino?

Arduino is a free and open-source platform for creating electronic projects. Arduino is made up of a physical programmable circuit board (also known as a microcontroller) and a piece of software called an IDE (Integrated Development Environment) that runs on your computer and is used to write and upload computer code to the physical board.

For good reason, the Arduino platform has grown in popularity among those just getting started with electronics. Unlike most previous programmable circuit boards, the Arduino does not require a separate piece of hardware (known as a programmer) to load new code onto the board; instead, a USB cable is sufficient. Furthermore, the Arduino IDE employs a simplified version of C++, making programming easier to learn. Finally, Arduino provides a standard form factor that separates the microcontroller’s functions into a more accessible package.

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What is its function?

The Arduino hardware and software were created for artists, designers, hobbyists, hackers, newbies, and anyone else who is interested in creating interactive objects or environments. Arduino is capable of communicating with buttons, LEDs, motors, speakers, GPS units, cameras, the internet, and even your smartphone or television! This versatility, combined with the fact that the Arduino software is free, the hardware boards are reasonably priced, and both the software and hardware are simple to use, has resulted in a large community of users who have contributed code and released instructions for a wide range of Arduino-based projects.

The Arduino can be used as the brains behind almost any electronics project, from robots and a heating pad hand warming blanket to honest fortune-telling machines and even a Dungeons and Dragons dice-throwing gauntlet.