The microcontroller and software platform Arduino is an open-source interface between the physical and the digital. It's a very simple computer with sensors for receiving a wide range of physical inputs—such as sound, movement, light, or temperature—that can be programmed to trigger lights, audio synthesizers, motors, and much more in reponse. An active DIY community has sprung up around the project, building smart objects that defy the limits of imagination—a coffee maker that can be controlled via Twitter, a harp that substitutes lasers for strings, a remote controlled lawnmower, and a touch-responsive cube that operates as a musical instrument, to name a few projects. In a recent TED Talk, Arduino co-founder Massimo Banzi spoke about the platform that's inspiring hackers, students, and artists alike, and how open source can push the outer limits of the imagination.
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