Arduino is an Italian
open source electronic platform. The keystone of this amazing platform is the easiest
way of using the hardware and the software tools (libraries, etc.).
Basically you
can create everything you purpose, by sending a set of instructions to the microcontroller on the
board. To be able to achieve
that, you must use Arduino programming language (based
on Wiring),
and the Arduino Software (IDE), based on Processing.
Over the years Arduino has proved to be an excellent core for thousands of projects, from everyday objects to complex scientific instruments.
A worldwide community of enthusiasts - students, hobbyists, artists, programmers, and professionals has gathered around this open-source platform, their contributions have addedof accessible knowledge that can be of great help to novices up to an incredible amount and experts alike.
Over the years Arduino has proved to be an excellent core for thousands of projects, from everyday objects to complex scientific instruments.
A worldwide community of enthusiasts - students, hobbyists, artists, programmers, and professionals has gathered around this open-source platform, their contributions have addedof accessible knowledge that can be of great help to novices up to an incredible amount and experts alike.
Arduino was born at the Ivrea Interaction Design Institute as an easy tool for fast prototyping, aimed at students without a background in electronics and programming. As soon as it reached a wider community, the Arduino board started changing to adapt to new needs and challenges, differentiating its offer from simple 8-bit boards to products for IoT applications, wearable, 3D printing, and embedded environments.
All Arduino boards are completely open-source, empowering users to build them independently and eventually adapt them to their particular needs. The software, too, is open-source, and it is growing through the contributions of users worldwide.
Arduino also simplifies the process of working with
microcontrollers by offering some advantage for teachers, students, and
interested amateurs over other systems:
- Inexpensive Arduino boards are relatively inexpensive compared to other microcontroller platforms. The least expensive version of the Arduino module can be assembled by hand, and even the pre-assembled Arduino modules cost less than 40€.
- Cross-platform The Arduino Software (IDE) runs on Windows, Macintosh OSX, and Linux operating systems. Most microcontroller systems are limited to Windows.
- Simple, clear programming environment - The Arduino Software (IDE) is easy-to-use for beginners, yet flexible enough for advanced users to take advantage of as well. For teachers, it's conveniently based on the Processing programming environment, so students learning to program in that environment will be familiar with how the Arduino IDE works.
- Open source and extensible software The Arduino software is published as open source tools, available for extension by experienced programmers. The language can be expanded through C++ libraries, and people wanting to understand the technical details can make the leap from Arduino to the AVR C programming language on which it's based. Similarly, you can add AVR-C code directly into your Arduino programs if you want to.
- Open source and extensible hardware - The plans of the Arduino boards are published under a Creative Commons license, so experienced circuit designers can make their own version of the module, extending it and improving it. Even relatively inexperienced users can build the breadboard version of the module in order to understand how it works and save money.
See the getting started guide.
If
you are looking for inspiration you can find a great variety of Tutorials
on Arduino Project Hub.
Enjoy !!!
