Chapter 1. Bringing JavaScript and hardware together
This chapter covers
- Components and hardware involved in hobbyist projects and the “internet of things”
- Common components of embedded systems
- Different methods for using JavaScript with embedded systems
- Tools and supplies you’ll need to start building
As a JavaScript-savvy web developer, you make logical alchemy happen every day. But now it’s possible to wield your software-development skills in a new way, to program and control things in the real world. In this chapter, you’ll learn about the hardware involved in different kinds of projects and devices, and you’ll also see how JavaScript and hardware can work together.
We’re surrounded by little magical things that blend the physical world with the realm of the logical, connected, and virtual (figure 1.1). A keychain that broadcasts its location wirelessly so you can find it with an app on your smartphone. A plant pot that makes whining noises when it needs to be watered, or, better yet, sends you a petulant text message. Billions of such objects blink, beep, tweet, automatically dim the lights, make customized pots of tea, and otherwise perform their specialized duties across the planet.
