Arduino Mega 2560
I’ve recently purchased an Arduino Mega 2560 R3 development board.
It’s in some ways more powerful than the Raspberry Pi as it has analogue inputs, more GPIO’s and less overhead – in that it doesn’t run Linux, it doesn’t have an IP stack, it doesn’t have HDMI output etc. Its just a microcontroller and a bunch of pins that you program using C++
I’m actually preferring it to the Pi for electronic interfacing, as “it just works” as they say in Apple land. There’s no messing around with device file permissions, drivers or a rubbish USB subsystem and iffy power supplies – you can use a 9V battery, USB power from a PC or anything that can supply 5V/500mA or more down a barrel connector!