The Arduino is a small Atmel-based microcontroller development board easily integrated into many different types of digital control and automation. Hundreds of thousands of Makers, hobbyists and researchers around the world make use of Arduino variations every day for wearable electronic displays, automatic gardening controls, robotic designs and numerous other uses from home decorations to the control for many types of 3D printers. The Arduino is inexpensive (around $25 US for commercially produced boards), but can be built for under $6 US from basic components because its entire design is open source and readily integrated into many other alternatives, which often carry the “’duino” designation to illustrate their origin. Arduino is also expandable with hundreds of different add-on boards, called Shields, available for environmental monitoring, robotic control, network access and even cellular phone capabilities.
The current Arduino, called Leonardo, uses a 16Mhz Atmel microcontroller with 32KB Flash memory, 12 bidirectional Analog pins, 20 bidirectional Digital pins, 7 PWM outputs and 2 TWI/I2C interfaces for those who tinker with electronics. The newer Arduino Due expands this using a 32-bit ARM microcontroller capable of running a more complex code set, although this is the first Arduino that is compatible with most Shields but not with the Processing language (C variant programmed using the free Arduino IDE) files and libraries used but the more traditional Arduino Leonardo and earlier Arduino Due boards. Arduino includes many different format boards suitable to different purposes from small single chip designs with all components soldered directly onto the Atmel microprocessor to sew-in washable Arduino alternatives. The variety of options means there will always be an Arduino that will fit your project, or as an open-source technology, you can always add a new option and perhaps sell it to suit the needs of others as well! Because Arduinos draw very little power, they are perfect for on-the-go battery-based or solar-powered electronic controls, although they can easily be powered from standard USB connections and wall-wart power supplies.
Adding network capability to an Arduino requires an additional Shield, but for simple web servers and web-accessible controls, the magnificent Raspberry Pi (around $35 US) created for UK educational use is a magnificent little computer the size of a credit card. Like the Arduino, Raspberry Pi boards have add-on options, called Plates, that support additional sensors and control circuits, but the RasPi includes an on-board Ethernet connection, two USB ports and an SD card slot for storage. Unlike the Arduino, Raspberry Pi is a true computer, able to run a stripped down version of the Linux operating system. It was meant for children to be able to learn computer programming and Internet capabilities in educational settings but has rapidly become a favorite platform for building hand-held laptop computers for under $100 US, mining Bitcoins, running a MAME video game server, or operating as a home theater PC using its built-in HDMI output.
The Raspberry Pi has almost as many Makers and hobbyists building new solutions as the Arduino, although its built in connections are less capable of directly interfacing with other electronics, often resulting in Arduino/RasPi combinations for complex projects. Raspberry Pi includes a 700MHz ARM microprocessor, 256MB on-board memory, 8 GPIO (general-purpose input/output) Digital pins, HDMI and Composite video and stereo audio output, 2 USB connections and a built-in Ethernet connection. It uses SD memory cards and can run several compatible Linux variations. This is a simple, easy-to-use computer on a single card perfect for learning computer programming and setting up web-enabled services with a fantastic community of supporters.
Unlike the Arduino, the Raspberry Pi is not an open-source hardware platform, it was created for the British government for use in school settings and remains proprietary technology. Many who prefer entirely open-source designs or who want the power of a credit-card sized single-board Linux computer with the flexibility of the Arduino’s electronics will look to the BeagleBone Black ($45 US). This platform is often used in more complex robotic designs like underwater ROVs, and includes a 1GHz ARM microprocessor, 2.5GB onboard memory, 7 Analog and 65 GPIO Digital pins, with 8 PWM outputs and 2 TWI/I2C interfaces like the Arduino. BeagleBone Black uses microSD cards for storage, provides HDMI video and stereo audio output, and includes a built-in Ethernet port and a single USB connection for external hardware connection. With its more powerful CPU, the BeagleBone Black can operate with Android and common Linux operating systems like the popular Ubuntu distribution. It also has many add-on boards, called Capes, although its support base is limited by comparison with the massive communities behind Arduino and the Raspberry Pi.
If you want to enable your designs with sensor-based controls like an automatic Halloween scare-prank to greet little monsters or web-enabled capabilities like tweeting when the bird bath has a visitor, these solutions are magnificent as inexpensive and flexible options for any level of experience with electronics. Parents, kids, educators and Makers alike can all find nearly infinite applications for the single-board, credit-card-sized electronic boards with many add-ons (Shields, Plates or Capes, depending on which board you select). They work together with each other and as expansions to other commercial products or standalone platforms for your own creativity.
For a basic go-to board for battery-based designs, one of the many open-source Arduino variations will be hard to beat, while Raspberry Pi provides a single-board computer for learning computer programming, setting up a web server, or playing your video collection on the living room TV without a noisy full computer. If your need exceeds the ability of each of these alone, the BeagleBone Black integrates the full power of Android and Linux in an open-source platform with numerous electronic connections to build your own Geiger counter, secret lapel camera, autonomous drone, or ROV for spying on your arch rival’s secret underwater lair!
Kalani Kirk Hausman is a long-time IT professional who is currently conducting research at Texas A&M University on integrating 3D printed materials into educational curricula. Kirk has worked in a variety of higher education, medical, health care, government, and commercial enterprise settings and is the author of the upcoming 3D Printing For Dummies from Wiley.
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Some of the best DIY projects use microcontrollers or cheap single board computers to automate awesome stuff. But Between the Arduino, the Raspberry Pi, and the BeagleBone, it's hard to figure out which is best for a project. Let's demystify the most popular boards and make the selection process a bit easier.
Words like microcontroller, pocket-sized computer, or development boards might conjure up images of a geek with a soldering iron attached to their hip, but these boards are accessible and useful to everyone. Each of these boards are incredibly easy to work with, and each are good asa starting point for electronics hobbies as well as advanced features for your own projects.
However, when it comes to cheap, open-source hardware, you have a ton of options to build your projects on. We're going to outline the differences between the three most popular boards: the Arduino Uno, Raspberry Pi Model B, and BeagleBone Black. Each of these have their own strengths and weakness, and certain platforms are better for certain types of projects more than others.
If all you want is the specs, here's a breakdown of the differences between each of them. There's much more to it then that, so we'll discuss what you can do with each in the following sections.
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For Beginners and Single-Purpose Projects: Arduino
The $25 Arduino is a staple of the DIY community because it's open-source, easy to develop for, consumes very little power, and is very simple to set up. Plus, it’s designed specifically for beginners, so pretty much anyone can play with it and connect it to external components. Essentially, the Arduino is a small, programmable board that accepts and stores code from your computer. It's capable of simple, but cool things like controlling lights or programming gardening systems. The board, the programming language, and most projects you find are open-source so you can use them to suit your own needs.
Advantages: At $30, the Arduino is cheap enough that you can buy a few to mess around with. Alongside the flagship Arduino Uno, you have a ton of other variations of the Arduino to choose from. The Arduino also consumes very little power, so it's perfect for projects that run all day long, or need to be powered with batteries. Most importantly, the Arduino is insanely popular, so it's easy to find support, tutorials, and projects. Finally, the Arduino is flexible and can interface with just about anything.
Disadvantages: The Arduino is a beginner board, but it still takes a little while to get used to using something without a graphic interface. Because it's cheap and small, the Arduino can't usually handle a lot of different processes at once, so it's not good for projects that are incredibly complicated or require a lot of computing power.
Project Ideas
Looking for a better idea of what you can do with the Arduino? Here are a few ideas:
- Add powered brake lights and turn signals to your bike
- Build a mosquito killer
- Make your own voice-controlled lights
- Keep pets off of your furniture
- Make your own burglar alarm system
For Complex, Multimedia, or Linux-Based Projects: Raspberry Pi
The $35 Raspberry Pi has been a DIY-darling since it was first announced. It's essentially a tiny computer that runs Linux from an SD card, and from there you can run all sorts of DIY projects. It's essentially a low-powered Linux computer, and subsequently can do anything a Linux machine can for only $35. With the two USB ports and the HDMI out, you can use the Raspberry Pi just like you would any computer, and that means it's perfect for all sorts of projects that require a Linux system.
Subsequently, the Raspberry Pi is good for anything you're making that requires a display, and especially any projects you want to connect to the internet. Remember, it's basically a tiny computer, so provided you're not looking to do anything super complicated with it, the Raspberry Pi can handle a ton of different things.
Disadvantages: The Raspberry Pi is awesome for just about any project you'd use a computer for, but unlike the Arduino and BeagleBone, it doesn't have as many options to interface with external sensors or buttons. So if you want to do a project that's interfacing with other electronics in your home, or lights around the house, the Raspberry Pi isn't quite as solid of an option.
Project Ideas
Looking for a better idea of what you can do with the Raspberry Pi? Here are a few ideas:
- Make your own Tor Proxy
- Block telemarketers and robocallers
- Automate everything in your home
- Turn your Raspberry Pi into a personal VPN
- Make your own AirPlay receiver
For Projects with External Sensors or Networking: BeagleBone Black
The easiest way to describe the BeagleBone Black is as combination of a Raspberry Pi and an Arduino. It has the power of the Raspberry Pi, but it has the external interfacing options of the Arduino. At $45, it's right on par with the cost of either, but it manages to do enough things differently that it's in a world of its own.
Since it doesn't actually require a display like the Pi to setup, the BeagleBone Black is targeted more at advanced users and serious developers. Still, it has the Angstrom Linux distro installed from the start, so like the Pi, you can use it as standalone computer if you like. You can also install a wide variety of other operating systems, including Android. The BeagleBone Black is a tougher system to get used to than the Raspberry Pi because it wasn't initially targeted as an education system, but you can do a lot with it.
Advantages: The BeagleBone comes packed with flash memory and an operating system already installed, which means that out of the box it's already fully operational. If you want to run in headless mode (without a monitor), it's easy to do, and you don't need extra hardware to set it up like you would with the Raspberry Pi. The big advantage for the BeagleBone is that it has a really good set of input/output features (69 GPIO pins compared to the Raspberry Pi's eight) so it can interface with exterior electronics easily.
Disadvantages: The BeagleBone doesn't have as many USB ports as the Raspberry Pi, nor does it have video encoding built in, so it's not really that great as a standalone computer or entertainment system. It also doesn't have quite the same amount of fervor around it as the Raspberry Pi, so while the community around the BeagleBone is strong, it's not nearly as loud as the Raspberry Pi. That means tutorials and project ideas are a little harder to come by.
What the BeagleBone is best for: The BeagleBone is best suited for projects that might be a little too complicated for the Arduino, but don't need any complex graphics like the Raspberry Pi. Since it connects to the internet out of the box, it's a lot cheaper to use than an Arduino, and since it has a ton of ways to connect external sensors it's perfect for advanced projects that interface with the real world.
Project Ideas
Looking for a better idea of what you can do with the BeagleBone Black? Here are a few ideas:
- Set up guide from Adafruit
- Beer Brewer system
- Setup a personal backup service with Crashplan and BeagleBone
- Internet radio
- Home automation system
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