Arduino what is

By clicking sign up, you agree to receive emails from Techopedia and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Arduino refers to an open-source electronics platform or board and the software used to program it. Arduino is designed to make electronics more accessible to artists, designers, hobbyists and ayone interested in creating interactive objects or environments.

An Arduino board can be purchased pre-assembled or, because the hardware design is open source, built by hand. Either way, users can adapt the boards to their needs, as well as update and distribute their own versions. A pre-assembled Arduino board includes a microcontroller, which is programmed using Arduino programming language and the Arduino development environment.

In essence, this platform provides a way to build and program electronic components. We will also go over manually installing third-party cores, such as the board definitions required for many of the SparkFun development boards. Favorited Favorite 3. Arduino Board Comparison Guides. Examining the diverse world of Arduino boards and understanding the differences between them before choosing one for a project.

Favorited Favorite 5. Bluetooth or wireless? When it comes to Arduinos, there are a lot of choices. We've compiled every Arduino development…. The development platforms. Getting Started with Arduino Shields. An update to our classic Arduino Shields Tutorial! All things Arduino shields. What they are and how to assemble them. What is this 'Arduino' thing anyway? This tutorials dives into what an Arduino is and along with Arduino projects and widgets. Favorited Favorite 4.

Beginner Intermediate Advanced Click the buttons above for tutorials relating to the board functionality based on topic difficulty. Asynchronous serial communication concepts: packets, signal levels, baud rates, UARTs and more! The world is analog. Use analog to digital conversion to help digital devices interpret the world.

This tutorial covers the concept of analog and digital signals, as they relate to electronics. Learn about the common data types and what they signify in the Arduino programming environment. Handling PCB jumper pads and traces is an essential skill. Learn how to cut a PCB trace, add a solder jumper between pads to reroute connections, and repair a trace with the green wire method if a trace is damaged.

SPI is commonly used to connect microcontrollers to peripherals such as sensors, shift registers, and SD cards. An introduction to I2C, one of the main embedded communications protocols in use today. What is an interrupt? In a nutshell, there is a method by which a processor can execute its normal program while continuously monitoring for some kind of event, or interrupt. There are two types of interrupts: hardware and software interrupts.

For the purposes of this tutorial, we will focus on hardware interrupts. Favorited Favorite 8. This tutorial will teach you what a bootloader is and why you would need to install or reinstall it. We will also go over the process of burning a bootloader by flashing a hex file to an Arduino microcontroller. An introduction to integrated circuits ICs. Electronics' ubiquitous black chips. Includes a focus on the variety of IC packages. Wait 'til you see how easy it is to use!

Every electrical project starts with a circuit. Don't know what a circuit is? We're here to help. Learn about Ohm's Law, one of the most fundamental equations in all electrical engineering. Arduino projects for kids introduce children to a brand new world! So today, we're going to explore why using an Arduino for students makes sense, how it improves their thinking, and what students can create.

We are surrounded by electronics - smartphones, computers, TVs, robots, and more. While lots of students have learned to write code, few have had the opportunity to build the physical system. What exactly does that mean? A Single Board Microcontroller is a small device similar to a computer but a simplified version that will run programs. Microcontrollers can be found in automobile engines, medical devices, remote controls, office equipment, home appliances, power tools, and even small toys.

The Arduino allows anyone, including your children, to become familiar with the basics of electrical engineering and design, while building electronics projects that are limited only by their imagination. After the initial introduction to a few new keywords and skills, the Arduino is an easy-to-use tool for beginners. But still flexible enough for advanced users. And there are variations on the Arduino board to allow for levels of experience.

The Arduino Uno is the most popular to use, especially for beginners just starting to build projects. Arduino is a cool tool to learn new things, and discover new passion. If you can imagine it, you can build it.

It becomes as simple as plug it in, program it, and have fun. The class uses an Arduino simulator and does not require a physical device. However, if you prefer, Arduino can be purchased online. The same code will work on the device without any changes. Now you might say to yourself that you have never heard of it. At worst, if it's connected over USB, you may damage your computer. Firstly is the concept of "shields".

These are upgrades you can stack on top of the Arduino to add functionality. This could be your own custom-designed circuit board, or one that you've bought, such as an LCD screen. Secondly, because Uno is a standard shape, you'll find a huge range of cases, both ready-made or 3D printable designs to download and print at home, or even modify yourself. That means anyone can copy the Arduino, modify it, and resell it as their own.

This isn't illegal. In fact, Arduino itself is built on the back of other open-source projects. For instance, the Arduino development software is based on Wiring , which is itself based on Processing! The only rule is that you can't call it an actual "Arduino" device because that's a protected trademark.

You can however claim that it's "Arduino-compatible". In fact, if you bought all the components individually, you could even make your own from scratch. But you should only do that that if you want to learn more about what exactly is contained in an Arduino circuit board, not because you want to save money. It isn't cheaper, and the end result isn't as sleek. Some manufacturers create Arduino-compatible boards that are exactly the same, but just cheaper.

Some add even more functionality than the original boards have. They might be in a unique shape designed for a particular application, add some more connectors, perhaps they have an LED matrix display built-in, or have added Wi-Fi. It's perfect for compact internet-of-things and home automation projects. Meanwhile, the Teensy line of development boards pack a much bigger processing punch than Arduino boards, with a tiny form factor—making them perfect for small projects which rely on powerful processing at their core.

Programmable Logic Controllers are not a new concept; they were around long before Arduino.