This post was imported from another blog I created. Its use has ceased so I have moved its content here.
I needed a way of taking input from two motion detectors, doing some logic and turning a servo (a electric motor that can turn to a precise angle, rather than simply spinning like a dumb motor) with the camera attached in the correct direction. The brains of this operation is called an Arduino.
Arduino’s website describes it as follows:
Arduino is an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. It’s intended for artists, designers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments.
Basically, because I am not a computer scientist or electrical engineer, Arduino gives me a platform that I can build on and program with super limited skills. Arduino is like like the wordpress of the micro-controller world.
What I really like about the Arduino is:
- The massive community of people who have written about their projects, giving me a lot to work with.
- The very simple programming language.
I started by spending an afternoon working though basic tutorials, then it was off to the races.
You might say it’s so simple a marketing guy can do it. 
