Arduino boards do not have WiFi, so WiFi capabilities are added by combining a standard board with a WiFi shield. WiFi Arduino devices allow for wireless input and reprogramming from multiple computers, creating simple websites, and transmitting data faster than other interfaces. However, WiFi is more expensive and consumes more energy, so it is not always the best option.
An Arduino® WiFi® is an Arduino® board that has the ability to connect to wireless networks. There are several varieties of Arduino® boards, but none have WiFi®. For this reason all Arduino® WiFi® devices are made by combining one of the standard boards with a WiFi® shield.
The most obvious advantage of an Arduino® WiFi® over the cheaper USB interface is that it can accept computer input or reprogramming wirelessly and from multiple computers. This is especially useful for robotics or home electronics applications where multiple users may want to interact with the same device. For example, a robotic artwork could allow anyone to instruct it to move to a different location using a laptop with WiFi®. Alternatively, a game based on this platform could allow multiple people to play simultaneously.
WiFi® Arduino® devices can also use the webduino library to create a simple website. The site may only be accessible on a local network or, if the network is online, it may be available to the entire Internet. A website streamed from a microcontroller could be used to display information about the device’s environment, such as temperature, light level, or noise level. A site could also be used to remotely control the WiFi® Arduino® or provide it with information to put on a digital scoreboard.
WiFi® can transmit data much faster than any other interface currently available for small electronic devices. An example is a remote control video machine. A baseboard is connected to a WiFi® shield, the board is connected directly to the controls of the remote controlled car, and a webcam is also connected to the board. Normally, a webcam is useless for any such device because it doesn’t have enough processing power to analyze the data or enough storage capacity to record it. In this case, the data is neither stored nor analysed, but is transmitted directly via WiFi® to a computer where a user can watch live video and control the car.
Despite these advantages, WiFi® Arduino® devices are not produced frequently. WiFi® is more expensive and consumes more energy than other alternatives. Mobile devices are usually battery powered, which means that additional power consumption is a significant issue. Most immobile devices that frequently use computer interfaces can be controlled via USB or network cables. For most applications, it is cheaper and more effective to use a USB, Xbee® or serial interface.
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