Do you have an Arduino? If yes, what do you do with it?

Question

Arduino

There was a desire to buy this miracle of technology for it-shnyh pleasures and perversions. I know that with the help of an arduino you can make a smart home (or something similar), I know that you can run Linux distributions on it ... What else can you do when using it? Is it possible to do something serious with it, and not just conduct experiments?
Ps if it's not difficult, share: what did you try to do with it? What are your general impressions of this "toy"? Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

In my opinion, arduinka is well suited as such an "interface splitter". Because GPIO is completely absent in computers, LPT port is also rarely seen. And here there are 16 legs that can work for input, output, like analog inputs and outputs ... Having provided the arduino with some kind of interface, from simple USB to WiFi and Ethernet, you can turn something on or off through the computer, or measure, or something else what ....
Well, for example - it took you to measure the speed of rotation of the wheel that turns your hamster. You can sit and count the revolutions, or you can attach an optical or mechanical sensor, start this business in an arduino, count, filter, transfer to a computer =)
Or you can buy sensors and make a Segway model. Or a quadcopter. Or a tank with bluetooth control ....
I like arduinos. I have probably 10 of them.
If you buy - take the version of Arduino nano v3 - it has a built-in USB-UART converter, and all you need to start working with it is a Mini USB cable.
The Chinese are now selling third versions at a completely indecent price of $ 5.5 . They replaced the expensive FTDI with its cheap counterpart.

Answer 2

linux on arduino? Probably meant Raspberry Pi? Arduino is just a microcontroller with a ready-made harness and a simple, convenient IDE (with a bunch of ready-made programs) that controls I / O: a signal appears on such and such a leg, send a signal to the other leg.
Personally, I have long wanted to start studying radio engineering, arduino gave impetus to start ...

Answer 3

For amateur automation and robotics, Arduino is a great tool. Especially if there is no desire / opportunity to assemble devices on more compact controllers. I always keep a supply of 1-2 handkerchiefs in the household in case of any idea that I want to quickly try out. There are a lot of projects on Arduino on the Internet - from independent devices (irrigation control, robots, etc.) to Smart Home systems in which Arduino acts as a wireless "collector" of data from sensors.
By the way, in addition to the usual Arduino, which can be programmed by connecting via USB, you can also use the Arduino Pro Mini , which is cheaper, much smaller and more energy efficient, but which requires an adapter to program, but otherwise full compatibility - I've been using these mostly lately.

Answer 4

I assembled FreeduinoMax232 while lying around, I need to assemble the Ethernet module, but for now the chip costs more than the finished one, I think to order)

Answer 5

I think that arduino with shields is more positioned as a Lego constructor, "jumpstart" for further "immersion" in electronics. Quickly assemble the device, run it, check, play around, disassemble, assemble a new one.
For more serious projects, such as "smart home" iron arduin is redundant.
For 2-3 sensors and atmega16 wireless module is enough. As a head control device use RaspPy
UP: one room - 1 atmega, sends data (T, leak types, gas) to the "raspberry" by radio. There is nothing to implement interactivity within a city apartment, except that the aquarium is "controlled".

Answer 6

While just lying)) Waiting in the wings.