We'll outline the basics of the Arduino itself, what the crazy jumble of wires means, and then step through how to use other people's code and schematics to build your first electronics project ...

This shield could be a good alternative to hobby RC controllers for robots that need a customizable open-source motor controller. The PCB design and source code are available on GitHub.

Arduino is the ultimate DIY electronics platform and can be tons of fun for the aspiring engineer. If you want to learn the ins-and-outs of Arduino programming, check out this complete starter kit ...