Low cost development platforms for home automation, robotics and embedded systems prototyping.

Low-cost development platforms, the most popular of which are Arduino and Raspberry, play an essential role in electronics and computer training, and in the prototyping of small embedded systems, e.g. in robotics, home automation, audio, video and more. This has led to the creation of large communities of users (teachers and hobbyists) with forums, tutorials, projects and online software.

In this article, the basic features are presented first: price, processor and software environment. Application-related features are then discussed: a simple example for electronics training is followed by a presentation of the various sensors and actuators that will be controlled by the platform's microcontroller or processor. The various interfaces required for the applications are available as independent modules (boards) or are integrated into the platforms, which are veritable nanocomputers: WiFi and Bluetooth, graphics and audio interfaces, Ethernet, etc. After this general overview, we'll take a closer look at the Arduino and Raspberry Pi offerings, which are the most significant examples of such platforms.

The specifics of Arduino and Raspberry programming are covered, with short program examples. Two examples of robot control projects are presented. The article concludes with highlights of the Arduino and Raspberry platforms: summary of features, communities, sales volumes.