This document discusses the open-source Arduino platform. It describes Arduino as originating from the Italian Ivrea university and being based on C/C++. The core is an ATmega microcontroller and it has inputs/outputs that can be used to control devices like LEDs, motors, and sensors. The Arduino IDE provides an easy development environment to write and upload code to Arduino boards to build interactive projects. Examples demonstrated include blinking an LED, reading serial communication, and using pulse-width modulation to control the position of a servo motor.