If you like to create and develop pieces of technology, you may have come across Arduino boards in the past. Simply put an Arduino board contains a microcontroller and is a printed circuit capable of receiving information and requestion an action from a system. Essentially, whatever application you build one into, you can tell your board what to do by sending it a set of instructions – this is done via a programming language.
Whether you’ve been tinkering away at projects for some time, or this is your first, it can sometimes be difficult to know which ones are best and why. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of Arduino boards and how to choose your next one.
The Price
One of the biggest advantages of an Arduino board is the price. The boards alone are relatively inexpensive and there are some full Arduino kits available that start from around £60. These include pretty much everything you need to get your project off the ground including the board, sensors, LEDs and motors.
They Offer Great Compatibility
Thanks to their compatibility with so many elements, they’re extremely popular among hobbyists and tinkerers alike. Being able to link them to the likes of GPS, 3D printers, sensors, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi interfaces means that they can be added to pretty much any application you may be building.
They also work with a number of different operating systems such as iOS, Linux and Windows, making the possibilities for using them pretty endless!
How to Choose the Right Model
You’ll first need to understand what you need for the project you’re working on. Only then will you be able to choose the right model of Arduino board. Pay particular attention to the size, weight and number of inputs and outputs, as these will have an impact on its application. You’ll also need to make sure you’re choosing the right size of flash memory and that it’s compatible with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, depending on how advanced your project might be.
When developing your project, it’s important to note that some boards are designed to be embedded and have no programming interface. This you would need to buy separately. Depending on your skillset, you may want to choose a model that has an existing interface already.
Don’t forget, there are around 15 different Arduino boards to choose from! Take a step back from what you’re trying to create and think about which one you’ll need carefully. The last thing you want to do is order or even fit the wrong one!
