Arduino
®
is an open-source prototyping platform based on easy-to-use hardware and
software. Arduino
®
boards are able to read inputs – light-on sensor, a finger on a button or a
Twitter message – and turn it into an output – activating of a motor, turning on an LED,
publishing something online. You can tell your board what to do by sending a set of
instructions to the microcontroller on the board. To do so, you use the Arduino
programming language (based on Wiring) and the Arduino
®
software IDE (based on
Processing). Additional shields/modules/components are required for reading a twitter
message or publishing online. Surf to www.arduino.cc for more information.