Arduino’s new starter kit features electronic components that can be connected without having to know anything about soldering or wiring. It’s similar to LittleBits’ electronic building blocks that make it easy for kids to learn about electronics but targets an older audience of beginners who eventually aspire to do more with an Arduino.
The $87.36 Arduino Plug and Make Kit comes with an Arduino UNO R4 WiFi microcomputer featuring Bluetooth and its own built-in 12 x 8 LED matrix display, plus seven different Modulino components that can all be connected using cables that snap into one-way connector ports, ensuring nothing can be wired incorrectly.
The bundled Modulinos include an adjustable knob, a strip of dimmable LEDs, a movement sensor, a time-of-flight distance sensor, a buzzer, a thermometer and humidity sensor, and a set of three buttons. To help keep things organized, all of the components, including the Arduino, can be attached to a baseplate using included screws.
The Arduino Plug and Make Kit includes tutorials on how to use each component and step-by-step instructions on how to assemble them to build seven devices, such as a video game controller, a synthesizer, a touchless lamp, and an electronic hourglass timer.
The Plug and Make Kit is also compatible with all of the hardware and software in the Arduino ecosystem, including the Arduino Cloud platform, which allows users to share project ideas. Once those seven included projects are complete, they can find inspiration for their next creation.