changes in quantities and provides a corresponding output, generally as an electrical or optical signal; for example, a thermocouple converts temperature to an output voltage.
• Geared toward prototyping • “Physical Computing:” interacting with the environment "Arduino is an open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software. It's intended for anyone making interactive projects.”
communication • Serial communication • Minimal connections required — power, ground, data in, data out (UART) • 2 power options (1 mW/100 mW) • Support for multiple network topologies (Mesh, star, tree, etc.)