DIY ANYTHING: Microsoft, Arduino And The Microcontroller Revolution

In 1970, Caltech professor Carver Mead coined the term Moore's Law, which is, in layman's terms, a trend in computing hardware that the number of transistors that can be conveniently and inexpensively placed on a circuit doubles roughly every two years. When the term was brought into existence just forty years ago, computers weighed about thirty pounds and running a game of PONG was recipe for total system meltdown. Today, however, with the development of the microprocessor, while development costs remain proportionate, the processing ability of the circuit is matched, inversely, by its size. What's more is that, where once you had to rely on a technology company to bring you the hardware with which you could program, code, etc., technology companies and a number of microprocessing microcontroller toolkits allow the user to take programming and development into their own hands.

With Microsoft's recent unveiling of the .NET Gadgeteer and the rising popularity of open-source pioneering tool, Arduino, the ability to develop quite literally anything rests in the palm of your hand. From miniature arcade consoles to full-on electromagnetic field detectors, these ultra-hackable technologies are, for the first time, willingly bringing the arts and crafts to technology, and making a strong case that the '10s will be the decade of the developer.

Arduino

Leading the pack we have the Arduino Microcontroller. Part of a Processing-based approach designed for artists, developers, and designers of any skill level, Arduino produces a number of circuitboards from the "basic" USB Uno model to wearable models like the Lilypad, which "comes in a stylish purple." So far, we've seen the Arduino hacked to be everything from a light compass to a virtual-reality helmet.

Pros: Lightweight, Cheap (can get ’em stripped < $20), wide selection of models (including a stylish purple one), open-sourced, wide user base & lots of documentation, no soldering needed.
Cons: Debugging requires intermediate to advanced skills, requires basic Processing and/or C++ skills.

.NET Gadgeteer

While Arduino is currently the "industry" standard, Microsoft's recent release of specs, pictures, and videos of their brand new .NET Gadgeteer shape it up to be legitimate competition for the microcontroller throne. Boasting four times more bits and five times the clockrate of Arduino's beefiest model, the .NET Gadgeteer, which drops this fall, already looks like the ultimate Lego (for big kids). Beyond specs, however, what's most enticing about the .NET Gadgeteer are the prebuilt modules available for purchase alongside the microcontroller: thus far, Microsoft has released images of button modules, a camera, WIFI and USB ports, and a sweet, sweet LCD screen. The .NET Gadgeteer is also open-source and runs on the .Net Micro-Framework and C# Express.

Pros: 72mHz, 4.5Mb flash ROM, mix & match-able modules including an LCD screen and camera.
Cons: Expensive (basic bundle costs $250), Windows-only, ships September 30.

And finally, if these microprocessors are too mainstream, companies like EZ-Robot and SparkFun produce microcontrollers with alternate setups and capabilities as well. Below, some of our favorite microcontroller hacks:

Found a better microcontroller? Or a next-level hack? Post it in the comments below!