Why Arduino?

With the tools available to you today, many of which you'll learn about in this book, you have the opportunity and the ability to bend the physical world to your whim. Until very recently, it has not been possible for someone to pick up a microcontroller and use it to control their world within minutes. A microcontroller is a programmable integrated circuit (IC) that gives you the power to define the operation of complex mechanical, electrical, and software systems using relatively simple commands. The possibilities are endless, and the Arduino microcontroller platform will become your new favorite tool as you explore the world of electronics, programming, human-computer interaction, art, control systems, and more. Throughout the course of this book, you'll use the Arduino to do everything from detecting motion to creating wireless control systems to communicating over the internet.

Whether you are completely new to any kind of engineering or are a seasoned veteran...