Arduino for Biologists (I'm writing a book)

Here's a description:

Technology has become crucial to biological science, from sensor networks to satellite imagery. These technologies are often expensive and difficult to modify, even if they do suit your specific needs. In contrast, multi-purpose platforms, coupled with open-source software, increasingly offer the biologist a way to set-up and use off-the-shelf components and code to create a customised, but affordable biological recording systems. The Arduino is a hugely popular, low-cost platform, that allows you to create your own technological solutions to problems quickly and easily with little prior electronics or programming knowledge.

The Arduino system comprises a development board containing a small micro-controller that can be reprogrammed via the Arduino desktop software and a USB cable. The system is easily expanded to add Internet connectivity, data recording tools and your own custom electronics.

This book explains everything you need to know about Arduino and how to use it. It starts with an introduction to practical electronics and the Arduino platform, and moves on through a series of projects solving specific biological problems. Each of these projects can be used as described, or modified for your specific needs. In addition, information is provided on how to share and publish your own designs and integrate them with the global infrastructures that support biodiversity informatics.

This book is for anybody who wants to design and build their own technology-based research equipment, whether it is for use in the laboratory or the field. It is of particular relevance to those who wish to develop their own sensor networks, whether they are professional ecologists or citizen scientists.

Ed Baker's work focusses on acoustic sensor networks for monitoring singing insects, remotely monitoring environments and how digital tools can help the process of science from data collection to publication.

There's a page here where I'll be putting links to relevant things: Arduino for Biologists.

Any suggestions/ideas/comments/requests welcomed!