Mouser – Single-board computing solution comes with a 100,000-user design community (AVR 8-bit microcontroller)

Mouser has teamed with Arduino in forming a worldwide distribution partnership. Arduino is a highly regarded open-source physical computing platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware, and software.

The new global distribution agreement with Arduino gives Mouser a single-board computing solution with a 100,000-user-strong design community. In addition, it offers a cross- development platform centred on the Atmel AVR 8-bit microcontroller, especially well suited to expanded functionality by simply adding one of the various ‘shields’ to the main Arduino board. What simply started as a project in Italy in 2005 for Arduino has since turned into an open-source hardware movement. Today, there are thousands of Arduino projects ranging from electric meters and robotics, to Arduino-based gadgets that indicate when pot plants need water, says the company.

“We see Arduino as a development tool where engineers can use their technical and creative skills to make a concept come alive,” said Russell Rasor, Mouser’s vice president of advanced technology. “What makes Arduino especially attractive to the electronics design marketplace is the sheer volume of projects and ideas shared by its users – add to that its low-power requirement, you can see why Arduino is garnering so much attention within the electronics design community.”

Massimo Banzi, Arduino co-founder, added: “Allying with Mouser instantly extends our reach into the global engineering design community by making our products more readily accessible through their industry-leading catalogue and website. Positioning our products where designers already go in search of the newest products and technologies makes perfect sense for us strategically and supports our goals of future growth.”