Learn to:

• Build exciting interactive projects using Arduino
• Integrate inputs, outputs, and existing hardware into your projects
• Construct robust prototypes to get your project out into the real world
• Communicate between hardware and software using Arduino and Processing

The quick, easy way to leap into the fascinating world of physical computing

Arduino is no ordinary circuit board. Whether you're an artist, a designer, a programmer, or a hobbyist, Arduino lets you learn about and play with electronics. You'll discover how to build a variety of circuits that can sense or control real-world objects, prototype your own product, and even create interactive artwork. This handy guide is exactly what you need to build your own Arduino project — what you make is up to you!

• Learn by doing – start building circuits and programming your Arduino with a few easy examples — right away!
• Easy does it – work through Arduino sketches line by line, and learn how they work and how to write your own
• Solder on! – don't know a soldering iron from a curling iron? No problem! You'll learn the basics and be prototyping in no time
• Kitted out – discover new and interesting hardware to turn your Arduino into anything from a mobile phone to a Geiger counter
• Become an Arduino savant – find out about functions, arrays, libraries, shields, and other tools that let you take your Arduino project to the next level
• Get social – teach your Arduino to communicate with software running on a computer to link the physical world with the virtual world

Open the book and find:

• Help choosing an Arduino starter kit
• How to set up your Arduino and install the Arduino Development Environment
• Projects you can build that produce light, sound, and motion
• Instructions on prototyping using breadboards and a soldering iron
• How to use different inputs and outputs in your projects
• Tips for hacking existing hardware
• Ways to extend Arduino's capabilities with libraries and shields