This page will walk you through Arduino;
what it is, what you can do with it, resources on the Arduino web site,
and much much more.
The Arduino Web Site is good starting place to start your journey in finding out the possibilities of what you can accomplish with the devices and technology.
The Arduino Uno is a great place to get started with your first device. Click the photo to the right–>
Start Off With An Uno
What is Arduino?
Arduino is an open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software. Arduino boards are able to read inputs – light on a sensor, a finger on a button, or a Twitter message – and turn it into an output – activating a motor, turning on an LED, publishing something online. You can tell your board what to do by sending a set of instructions to the microcontroller on the board. To do so you use the Arduino programming language (based on Wiring), and the Arduino Software (IDE), based on Processing.
Over the years Arduino has been the brain of thousands of projects, from everyday objects to complex scientific instruments. A worldwide community of makers – students, hobbyists, artists, programmers, and professionals – has gathered around this open-source platform, their contributions have added up to an incredible amount of accessible knowledge that can be of great help to novices 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.
Why Arduino?
Thanks to its simple and accessible user experience, Arduino has been used in thousands of different projects and applications. The Arduino software is easy-to-use for beginners, yet flexible enough for advanced users. It runs on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Teachers and students use it to build low cost scientific instruments, to prove chemistry and physics principles, or to get started with programming and robotics. Designers and architects build interactive prototypes, musicians and artists use it for installations and to experiment with new musical instruments. Makers, of course, use it to build many of the projects exhibited at the Maker Faire, for example. Arduino is a key tool to learn new things. Anyone – children, hobbyists, artists, programmers – can start tinkering just following the step by step instructions of a kit, or sharing ideas online with other members of the Arduino community.
There are many other microcontrollers and microcontroller platforms available for physical computing. Parallax Basic Stamp, Netmedia’s BX-24, Phidgets, MIT’s Handyboard, and many others offer similar functionality. All of these tools take the messy details of microcontroller programming and wrap it up in an easy-to-use package. Arduino also simplifies the process of working with microcontrollers, but it offers 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 \$50
- 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.
Code From Video
Video: What Is Arduino
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CONTACT INFORMATION
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I’ve created many projects in Arduino that can be seen here on the Projects page and in several YouTube Playlists.
If there are any projects you would like me to cover, just send me an email or comment on one of my Arduino Videos on YouTube. I’d be glad to discuss how we can proceed with your request.
A good place to start learning Arduino is by purchasing a starter set which gives you many components to get you familiar with the components, set up, and coding. I recommend either the Elegoo Super Starter Kit or the Grove Beginners Kit by Seeed Studio. Both of these kits are easy and I have videos walking you through some of the projects included. Although the Grove Kit appears to have less components to play with, the components in the kit are geared more toward what you may need in your projects, and has much better documentation.
Videos of Starter Kits:
What’s Inside The Elegoo Super Starter Kit
Reviewing Elegoo Super Starter Kit For Uno
More Projects From The Elegoo Super Starter Kit
Easily The Best Beginner Kit For Arduino – Grove Beginners Kit
Take the first step on your journey of learning Arduino by visiting the Arduino web page to see what is available; browse the project hub, take a look at the code examples, and the many references available, then download the Arduino IDE to get started.
Take a look at the many videos on YouTube that cover what you can do with Arduino, including my Introduction To Arduino with Arduino Made Easy(er). Get your feet wet with simple projects, but don’t get too far ahead of yourself like some do like I explain in “Guideline Of Learning“. You’ll thank me later!
Once you get familiar with the components; learning how to program with the available example sketches, and wiring everything together on a breadboard. You’ll be on your way to enjoying more advanced projects to include on your model railroad and experiment with many new components. The possibilities are only limited by what you can afford. Because it is so simple to create projects by referencing what others have done before you. But remember, don’t get over your head!