Intro to arduino 2

General perspectives

1. Arduino is a micro-controller platform

• Arduino consists of hardware modules and a software environment, both are open-source
• Arduino can serve as a bridge between computer (or computer programs) and the physical world
• Arduino is capable of executing algorithm based on pre-loaded sketches
• the program / sketch on Arduino can be changed (updated) very easily
• programming Arduino is very easy by design, which minimizes the barrier of entry

2. Arduino is a culture

• share the knowledge, so that everybody will be benefited
• online examples, blogs, tutorials, videos, forums, websites
• Arduino is connected to art creation, 3D printing, farming / gardening, scientific researches

3. Arduino in classrooms and research labs

• allow people to try out their creative ideas quickly and easily
• free researchers from tedious and repetitive tasks
• make science more accessible in the developing world by lowering the cost

Hardware options

1. Arduino UNO, Mege2560
2. Ardweeny, USB-Boarduino, RBBB
3. MSP-430, PIC, ARM
4. BIY -- build it yourself -- on a breadboard