Gadget Master

Time, I think, for another Arduino-based roundup of posts (ahead of the imminent June/July competition). It's a couple of years since the last one - The many faces of Arduino - and there is plenty of new material to highlight.



Topics range from works of art and games to camera blurring and laser clock displays.

Check these out:

• Video: A Wise Clock plays Pong


• Gameduino spritely takes centre stage


• Arduino add-on removes camera blur


• Eyeballing for donations with Arduino


• AR.Drone, the flying iPhone accessory


• Sleep Remaining laser clock display


• USB keyboard goes retro


• The Worduino - Spelling out the time


• Arduino accelerometer hikes bike safety with LED


• Arduino + Accelerometer == DIY music controller
  

What exactly is an Arduino? Wikipedia's definition is as follows:

Arduino is an open-source single-board microcontroller, descendant of the open-source Wiring platform, designed to make the process of using electronics in multidisciplinary projects more accessible. The hardware consists of a simple open hardware design for the Arduino board with an Atmel AVR processor and on-board I/O support. The software consists of a standard programming language compiler and the boot loader that runs on the board.

Reportedly it began as a project in Italy in 2005, to make a device for controlling student-built robots less expensively than other prototyping systems available at the time.

Typically, an Arduino board consists of an 8-bit Atmel AVR microcontroller with complementary components, such as a a 5-volt linear regulator and a 16MHz crystal oscillator. It will be programmed over a serial RS-232 link.

Long may the platform prosper!