For those missing limbs, a robotic prosthesis represents a real and useful way to regain capability. But such prostheses are traditionally very expensive and are inaccessible to a large percentage of the people who would benefit from them. In an effort to improve the situation, Pavel Kochetkov of Weird Motions Lab designed this affordable open-source […]
For those missing limbs, a robotic prosthesis represents a real and useful way to regain capability. But such prostheses are traditionally very expensive and are inaccessible to a large percentage of the people who would benefit from them. In an effort to improve the situation, Pavel Kochetkov of Weird Motions Lab designed this affordable open-source robotic prosthetic arm.
When it comes to a prosthesis like this, there are two big challenges. The first is the mechanical design, as it needs to mirror the physiology of the user, while being powerful enough to be useful and comfortable enough to be practical. The second is control, because the prosthesis needs to be intuitive and seamless in everyday use. Kochetkov overcame both challenges on a budget.
This “bionic arm” straps onto the upper arm with synthetic foam pads for comfort. The frame is a relatively lightweight combination of steel and 3D-printed plastic. It is intended to replicate the functionality of the lower arm and hand. It does so with two joints: an elbow and gripper. Those are actuated by DSservo DS51150 servo motors operating under the power of an Arduino Leonardo board.
The Arduino controls those motors according to input from two sensors: a gyroscope and a myoelectric sensor. The gyroscope simply tells the Arduino the current orientation (relative to Earth’s gravity) of the upper arm. The myoelectric sensor is more interesting. It detects bicep muscle activity, so flexing is a control command. In theory, the user will develop muscle memory to control the arm and that will become seamless.
Kochetkov’s demonstration of the bionic arm is compelling. He is able to perform tasks that require a fair amount of dexterity, which is impressive given the low cost of the prothesis.
Appeals to nature notwithstanding, humans didn’t evolve to sit in desk chairs all day slouching in front of computers. Nor did we evolve to handle constant and near-unlimited access to delicious, calorie-dense foods. It isn’t surprising that so many people are at less than ideal health levels. But how can one work up the motivation […]
Appeals to nature notwithstanding, humans didn’t evolve to sit in desk chairs all day slouching in front of computers. Nor did we evolve to handle constant and near-unlimited access to delicious, calorie-dense foods. It isn’t surprising that so many people are at less than ideal health levels. But how can one work up the motivation to get lots of exercise every day? ZiedYT achieved that by making his computer turn off whenever he stops pedaling his bicycle.
Zied was inspired by a similar project from Linus Tech Tips published several years ago, in which a bicycle turns the input shaft of a generator that powers the computer. In Linus’ setup, pedaling literally powers the computer.
But Zied’s implementation is different and a lot more accessible. Rather than actually powering the computer, the bicycle simply controls software running on the computer and that software simulates the effects of power loss.
For that to work, Zied needed the software running on the computer (written in Python) to monitor, in real-time, the speed of the bicycle’s back wheel. The bike’s rear hub sits on an exercise stand, so the user can pedal in place while “sitting” at their computer. The hardware for speed monitoring consists of an Arduino and a Hall effect sensor. The latter responds to magnets attached to the bike’s spokes with 3D-printed mounts.
The Arduino communicates with Zied’s software via serial and the software makes the computer behave like it is losing power if wheel speed drops below a set threshold. When that happens, the screen starts dimming and sound gets quieter. If speed drops too low, the computer will shut down altogether and the user will lose any unsaved work. But if they pedal fast enough, they can use the PC like normal.
There’s a handful of things we truly need in order to live, and food and water comfortably make the list. Unfortunately, our water and food sources are not always safe. Throughout the world — even in developed countries — pollution, climate change, and poor management are damaging our access to clean water and food. And […]
There’s a handful of things we truly need in order to live, and food and water comfortably make the list.
Unfortunately, our water and food sources are not always safe. Throughout the world — even in developed countries — pollution, climate change, and poor management are damaging our access to clean water and food.
And to make things even worse, some of the most common methods of cooking and treating food and water are wasteful and bad for the planet!
Can technology help? We think so. In this article, we’ll explore three different ways Arduino can be used to drive cleaner, safer food and water in a more eco-friendly way.
Enable smart irrigation to optimize water use in agriculture
Farming might look straightforward from afar, but the reality is incredibly complex and challenging.
To grow crops at scale you have to deeply understand the conditions of your soil, master the science of crop rotation, and ensure your crops have all the water they need (but not too much!) at all times.
To make this process easier and more effective, Challenge Agriculture developed Irriduo® leveraging the Arduino platform.
The solution works using an Arduino Edge Control with the Arduino MKR GSM 1400 for connectivity and firmware, along with access to a dedicated Cloud. It relies on a technique called tensiometry, which uses sensors to measure the natural tension of water in soil.
This allows farmers to gain deep, detailed insights into their soil and growing conditions. Sensors provide readings for six crop cycles of three to four months each, representing thousands of measurements that can be repeated for years.
You can gain a better understanding of humidity, the way water moves within soil, water availability, and much more. Even more impressively, Irriduo® is able to react in real-time to changing soil conditions to save water and maximize efficiency.
Filter microplastics to clean water
Plastic has allowed us to improve our quality of life and technology in countless ways, but it comes at a cost. When plastic degrades, it tends to break down into tiny pieces. Today, these microscopic pieces of plastic are everywhere — in our air, food, soil, and water.
According to a study by Orb Media, microplastics showed up in 83% of water samples tested from metropolitan areas around the world. These plastics damage the environment and have been linked to concerning health risks.
So how do we deal with this problem? One possible solution emerged during the 2022 Natural Robotics Contest, where student Eleanor Mackintosh designed a robotic fish with a built-in filter capable of sucking up microplastics the same way a whale gobbles krill.
A prototype of this planet-saving fish, named “Gillbert,” was built based on Eleanor’s winning idea using an Arduino Nano 33 IoT board and some other components. Gillbert might not be able to eat all the microplastic in the world, or even in the local pond. However, testing revealed it is able to collect enough microplastic to be analyzed by experts, which can make a huge difference as we attempt to understand this problem and its risks more.
Preparing meals at home is a great way to save money and use more sustainable ingredients, but it can also rack up high energy bills and increase CO2 emissions if you’re not careful.
To make eco-friendly cooking easier, Italian company Barilla created a food timer for pasta based on Arduino technology. It works by using “passive cooking”, where a device keeps track of the water temperature in your pot and issues alerts telling you when to add the pasta and when to turn off the heat for the most efficient possible use of energy.
According to Barilla, this way of cooking can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional methods. The project uses an Arduino Nano 33 BLE and some basic components, and — best of all — it’s been released as open-source so everyone can access all the information they need to start cooking more efficiently at home.
Share your own eco-friendly projects!
Have you made any energy-saving devices or projects of your own? If so, we’d love to hear about them. Share the details in the comments below or upload them to the Arduino Project Hub, where you’ll find many other examples to keep you inspired.
April 22nd is Earth Day – a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to preserve the planet for future generations. While the call for climate action grows louder, Arduino is committed to making sustainability an ongoing priority through concrete projects and global collaborations every day of the year. One of the most exciting steps in […]
April 22nd is Earth Day – a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to preserve the planet for future generations. While the call for climate action grows louder, Arduino is committed to making sustainability an ongoing priority through concrete projects and global collaborations every day of the year.
One of the most exciting steps in that direction is our work on bio-based printed circuit boards (PCBs) – announced by co-founder David Cuartielles during this year’s Arduino Days. It’s an effort to fundamentally rethink how electronics are made, used, and eventually disposed of.
Introducing the Desire4EU project
Our bio-based PCB initiative is part of Desire4EU, a European project funded by the European Innovation Council (GA N°101161251). Running from 2024 to 2028, it brings together researchers and engineers from Sweden, Italy, Hungary, Belgium, and France. The goal: to design and test bio-based multilayer PCBs that reduce environmental impact, without compromising on functionality or performance.
Partners include the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, CROMA at the Université Grenoble Alpes, the Catholic University of Leuven, and others. Arduino is proud to contribute both open hardware designs and real-world testing thanks to the Arduino community – hey, that’s you!
The first working prototypes have already been manufactured using a new flame-retardant composite made from PLA-flax, instead of traditional fiberglass and epoxy. And yes, it actually works: the team has already successfully replicated Arduino Nano and UNO boards using this new bio-based substrate.
A holistic approach for sustainability
As Pascal Xavier (researcher at CROMA and professor at the Technology University Institute in Grenoble) pointed out during Arduino Days, making boards bio-compatible first and biodegradable second is a step forward in managing growing volumes of e-waste that collect on our planet. But benefits don’t stop there, because to make the most of the new materials, researchers had to lower soldering temperatures – leading to lower energy consumption during manufacturing. This helps reduce not just end-of-life waste, but the total environmental footprint of electronics production.
According to a paper the team published on Nanotechnology in the early phases of the project, assembly with the new material is still compatible with standard surface mounted technology (SMT), meaning no expensive new infrastructure is needed. Also, the new boards use optimized layouts to improve yield and reliability – even with double-sided designs and through-hole vias.
Looking beyond the board: full lifecycle impact matters
All of these aspects (and more) are being considered to validate the environmental benefits of the project in a holistic perspective. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is being conducted by the team at the Catholic University of Leuven, leveraging all the necessary data to quantify how much waste and CO? can be saved, the energy savings during production, and the potential for bio-leaching. The latter provides a way to recover high-purity copper from used PCBs using bacterial processes, instead of energy-intensive chemical treatments.
At the moment, we estimate that 90% of the traditional FR4 substrate (the composite material made with woven fiberglass cloth and an epoxy resin binder traditionally used) can be replaced with sustainable materials – without altering the behavior of the board during use at extreme environmental conditions?.
Designing with the planet in mind (and barely changing a thing)
What changes when design meets bio-compatibility? Surprisingly little according to Attila Géczy (head researcher in bio-based electronics at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics), who took part in the Arduino Days announcement to provide interesting technical details. Most existing Arduino board designs can be adapted with minimal changes. A few layout tweaks – like teardrop pads and improved via structures – help ensure reliable manufacturing, but the overall workflow stays familiar to any embedded designer. That’s crucial if we want these technologies to be adopted widely, not just experimentally.
Be part of the solution!
As part of the Desire4EU project, we’ll be giving away 1,000 beta boards starting in April 2026 – built on this new sustainable substrate and featuring an open-source design with LoRa® wireless connectivity.
We’re looking for testers, educators, and innovators to help us evaluate performance in real-world applications. If you’re interested in joining the program, stay tuned: we’ll share more in the coming months.
The joysticks found on ordinary controllers are quite simple, and as a result, they fail to provide much in the way of haptic feedback for the user. This is especially tough in racing or flight simulator games where making sharp turns should require a greater amount of force. YouTuber zeroshot’s project aimed to overcome this […]
The joysticks found on ordinary controllers are quite simple, and as a result, they fail to provide much in the way of haptic feedback for the user. This is especially tough in racing or flight simulator games where making sharp turns should require a greater amount of force.
YouTuber zeroshot’s project aimed to overcome this by combining a pair of stepper motors and positional sensors into a single two-axis joystick for use in Microsoft Flight Simulator. Based on how a gimbal can rotate in several directions while moving along static axes, the custom 3D-printed housing features a central pivot point and two sub-frames that each connect to ball bearings in the base for smooth movements.
The motors are responsible for applying a varied amount of force that is constantly trying to realign the joystick to the center. An Arduino Micro was selected since it could act as a native USB human interface device (HID) to relay the positions being sensed by the magnetic encoders to the host machine. This data was also used to instruct the motors on how far to move in each axis.
Once fully assembled, zeroshot’s next-level flight joystick was able to provide plenty of resistance when flying in a virtual cockpit and could even fly the plane itself once a few inputs had been preprogrammed into the Micro.
How can we ever really know anything? If you listen to the anti-science types, you might believe that we can’t. But if you get past Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, you can start identifying basic truths, through logic and experiments, on which to build upon. One important foundational building block is absolute zero. Most of […]
How can we ever really know anything? If you listen to the anti-science types, you might believe that we can’t. But if you get past Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, you can start identifying basic truths, through logic and experiments, on which to build upon. One important foundational building block is absolute zero. Most of us take scientists at their word about where that is relative to temperatures we can comprehend, but Marb built this machine to find it for himself through experimentation.
In the real world, nobody can physically bring anything down to absolute zero. It is a bit like Zeno’s Dichotomy Paradox — you can’t reach zero, because there isn’t anything cooler than the thing you’re cooling, so you just keep getting closer. But it is possible to get really close and that’s why Marb did here.
The experiment works by expanding gas as much as is feasible, reducing the average energy in any given volume and resulting in cooling…on average. If you’ve ever used canned air to clean a dirty keyboard, you’ve experienced that effect yourself.
But Marb didn’t have a way to expand gas enough to get anywhere close to absolute zero. Instead, he needed a way to develop a mathematical function to estimate the value.
To achieve that, he used a glass syringe (meant for gasses), a hot air gun, a thermocouple with amplifier, and a time-of-flight sensor from Adafruit. An Arduino Nano board took measurements from those. It measured the temperature and the plunger position in pairs while Marb heated the syringe. Using those values, Marb was able to calculate the gas volume for each given temperature.
From there, estimating absolute zero was a matter of finding a function that fits the measured values and extrapolating it out to zero.
We’re very excited to share that the Arduino AI Assistant is now available in the Arduino Cloud Editor! This expert coding companion truly understands your project and board, and can generate and fix your code in seconds. We know that many of you already use other AI tools to assist with coding, but switching back […]
We’re very excited to share that the Arduino AI Assistant is now available in the Arduino Cloud Editor! This expert coding companion truly understands your project and board, and can generate and fix your code in seconds.
We know that many of you already use other AI tools to assist with coding, but switching back and forth between different platforms is frustrating. That’s why we built an AI Assistant directly into the Cloud Editor, where it has the full context of your project and can make coding easier, faster, and more intuitive than ever before.
By taking care of repetitive setup tasks and generating reliable boilerplate code, the Arduino AI Assistant lets you spend more time exploring, experimenting, and building. It’s a powerful extension of your own creativity. After all, it’s not about replacing learning, it’s about assisting it, one smart suggestion at a time.
Arduino + Cloud: coding with AI
The Arduino AI Assistant, powered by Anthropic Claude, is designed to help you at every stage of development:
Generate code quickly – Just tell it what you want to build, and it will write the sketch for you.
Fix bugs instantly – if there is a mistake in the code, let the AI analyze and suggest corrections.
Provide explanations – Need help understanding a function? The Assistant can break it down for you.
To showcase its power, let’s dive into 2 quick demos and see how the Arduino AI Assistant can transform your coding experience!
Demo 1: Generating an Arduino sketch
With the AI Assistant, you can bypass manual coding and debugging to create simple animations on an LED matrix. For instance, you can instruct the Assistant to animate a column of four LEDs moving from left to right across the display.
Step-by-step:
1. Open the Arduino Cloud Editor and navigate to the AI Assistant panel. 2. Type: “I want to draw on the LED matrix a column of 4 LEDs that is moving from left to right over time.” 3. Instantly, the AI generates a functional Arduino sketch, complete with pin configurations and logic. 4. You can tweak the code as needed and upload it to your board right away!
The AI Assistant instantly generates the Arduino sketch, saving you time and effort. You can then upload the code and watch as your LED matrix displays the smooth animation exactly as you envisioned.
Demo 2: Debugging help
Imagine you’re working on a project where you want to read temperature and humidity data from a DHT11 sensor and display it on an LCD. You write the code, but when you try to compile it, you get an error. Frustrated, you turn to the AI Assistant for help.
Try the Arduino Cloud AI Assistant out for free
If you want to try out any plan, you can enjoy a 30-day free trial! It’s a great way to explore all the possibilities before committing. And you can cancel anytime!
Also, we’d love to hear what you think! Inside the Cloud Editor, you’ll see thumbs up and down buttons next to the AI output — just give it a quick tap. If you hit the thumb down button, you’ll get the chance to tell us what didn’t work so we can keep making it better for you.
Unlock more with Arduino Cloud
The great news is that everyone can code faster with Arduino Cloud’s AI Assistant! All users receive 25 free daily compilations and 30 monthly AI Assistant chats.
If you’re an individual user looking to code more with AI, you can upgrade to a Maker Plan which offers unlimited compilations and expands AI interactions to 1,500 per month.
If you’re part of a business looking to take advantage of the AI Assistant and other premium features, the Team or Enterprise Plans will give you access to unlimited compilations.
1. Where can I find the AI Assistant in Arduino Cloud?
It’s super easy! Just head over to app.arduino.cc, open an existing sketch or create a new one. Then, look for the ? magic star icon at the bottom of the left-hand menu—that’s your gateway to the AI Assistant. Click it, type your prompt in the chatbox, and let the Assistant help you write or fix your code in seconds.
2. Is the AI Assistant free to use?
Yes! You can try the AI Assistant for free with up to 30 interactions per month. If you need more, the Maker Plan ($6.99/month) gives you up to 1500 interactions. And for unlimited access, you can upgrade to our Team or Enterprise plans. To see all the options, check out cloud.arduino.cc/plans.
3. What is the AI Assistant trained on?
The Arduino AI Assistant is trained on Arduino documentation, libraries, and code examples—so it really knows the Arduino ecosystem. That means you get accurate, relevant help tailored to your board, your libraries, and your project. It’s like chatting with an expert who’s read all the docs (so you don’t have to).
Dr. David Cuartielles, co-founder of Arduino, recently participated in a workshop titled “TinyML for Sustainable Development” in Zomba, organized by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), a category 1 UNESCO institute, and the University of Malawi. Bringing together students, educators, and professionals from Malawi and neighboring countries, as well as international experts from Brazil, […]
Dr. David Cuartielles, co-founder of Arduino, recently participated in a workshop titled “TinyML for Sustainable Development” in Zomba, organized by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), a category 1 UNESCO institute, and the University of Malawi. Bringing together students, educators, and professionals from Malawi and neighboring countries, as well as international experts from Brazil, Slovenia, Italy, South Africa, and Sweden, the event aimed to introduce participants to tiny machine learning (tinyML) and its applications in addressing global challenges, bringing cutting-edge technology to new frontiers.
The workshop was supported by various global organizations and companies, including RAiDO, ICTP, NAiXUS, UNESCO’s IRCAI, the EDGE AI FOUNDATION, ITU’s AI-4-Good, CRAFS, and the Ministry of Education of Malawi. As part of our commitment to supporting educational initiatives that promote technological empowerment and sustainable development worldwide, Arduino contributed by donating equipment for the hands-on sessions, enabling participants to gain practical experience with embedded systems and machine learning.
Cuartielles – who centered his session on an introduction to Nicla Vision – is a long-time supporter of the importance of providing access to advanced technologies in regions with limited resources. He believes that such communities can leapfrog traditional development stages by adopting innovative solutions tailored to their specific needs. During the workshop, participants engaged in projectsfocusing on agriculture, health, and environmental monitoring, demonstrating the potential of tinyML in improving local livelihoods.
“You cannot imagine the pride of seeing things work, when students and teachers from different countries or regions join to learn about our technology, and about how they can apply it in their own education programs or everyday implementation cases,” Cuartielles says.
Arduino Cloud has grown tremendously over the past year, adding powerful features to make development smoother and IoT deployments more scalable. From real-time collaboration to interactive digital twins on a dashboard and AI-powered coding assistance, our platform has evolved to support everyone. Now, if you tuned in to Arduino Days 2025 (watch the video), you […]
Now, if you tuned in to Arduino Days 2025 (watch the video), you may have heard that our Arduino Cloud plans are evolving! We’re simplifying and expanding our plans to make it even easier to find the right fit:
Makers and individuals get access to all premium features under a single Maker Plan.
Businesses and teams have a clearer path to growth with new professional and enterprise options.
Arduino Cloud plans: what’s changing?
A clear path for businesses – Companies can now start small and scale up with Prototyping and Team Plans, designed to support professional IoT applications with multi-user collaboration, fleet management, and advanced data retention.
A unified Maker Plan – Hobbyists and individual developers now have one simple Maker Plan, with everything they need for IoT projects.
Free Plan remains available – Everyone can explore Arduino Cloud for free with support for up to 2 devices and essential features.
If you’re working on personal IoT projects, the Maker Plan gives you unlimited compilations, OTA updates, dashboard sharing, and AI-powered assistance – all in one plan.
For startups and professional users
If you’re building an IoT product or scaling a business, the Prototyping Deal lets you experiment with the full power of Arduino Cloud for 6 months at a special rate. When the period ends, you’ll seamlessly transition to the Team Plan to continue growing.
For teams and enterprises
The Team Plan provides RBAC (Role-Based Access Control), up to 50 users, and 100 devices – perfect for professional projects requiring security, white labeling, and efficient device management.
I’m on an Entry or Maker Plus Plan – do I need to switch?
Nope! You can continue using your plan. But if you’d like more features, you can upgrade at a discounted rate.
I plan to use Arduino Cloud for my own business or professional application. Where do I start?
The Prototyping Deal gives you six months to experiment with all Team Plan features at a special rate. After that, you’ll automatically transition to a monthly Team Plan ($100/month) for seamless continuity.
What happens if I don’t want to continue after my six-month Prototyping Deal?
You can cancel anytime before the end of your period to avoid automatic renewal.
Can I still use Arduino Cloud for free?
Yes! The Free Plan lets you explore Arduino Cloud with limited usage, supporting up to two devices for getting started.
Woodwinds and brass are so 19th century. We’re living in the future and now it is synthesizers all the way down. There are many to choose from and the Bleep Labs Nebulophone is a neat example that was sold from 2012 to 2016, with the design files now available on GitHub for DIYers. Marcus Dunn […]
Woodwinds and brass are so 19th century. We’re living in the future and now it is synthesizers all the way down. There are many to choose from and the Bleep Labs Nebulophone is a neat example that was sold from 2012 to 2016, with the design files now available on GitHub for DIYers. Marcus Dunn liked how the Nebulophone sounds, but wanted it to be more practical. That’s why he developed this “Solar” upgrade that dramatically enhances the playability of the Nebulophone.
The primary interface of the Nebulophone is a stylus keyboard integrated directly into the PCB. That was a design choice that saved a lot of money and has a lot of character, similar to the iconic Stylophone, but a stylus is a bit unwieldy during performances that include several pieces of equipment.
Dunn’s Solar upgrade adds a tactile keyboard and repackages the entire thing so that it can fit in a Eurorack along with other modules. There is also a sync-in for using Solar with other synths.
The audio circuitry is based on the original Nebulophone, but Dunn completely redesigned the PCB to accommodate the new features. In fact, Solar has two PCBs: one for the circuitry and one that mostly acts as a cover plate. It looks great with the Cherry MX key switches and key caps.
The brain of the operation is an Arduino Nano board and it runs the Nebulophone sketch, available on Dunn’s GitHub page. As Dunn demonstrates in his video, Solar sounds really cool and would be a great addition to your Eurorack.
