Book excerpt: BeagleBone is an inexpensive web server, Linux desktop, and electronics hub that includes all the tools you need to create your own projects—whether it’s robotics, gaming, drones, or software-defined radio. If you’re new to BeagleBone Black, or want to explore more of its capabilities, this cookbook provides scores of recipes for connecting and talking to the physical world with this credit-card-sized computer. All you need is minimal familiarity with computer programming and electronics. Each recipe includes clear and simple wiring diagrams and example code to get you started. If you don’t know what BeagleBone Black is, you might decide to get one after scanning these recipes. Learn how to use BeagleBone to interact with the physical world Connect force, light, and distance sensors Spin servo motors, stepper motors, and DC motors Flash single LEDs, strings of LEDs, and matrices of LEDs Manage real-time input/output (I/O) Work at the Linux I/O level with shell commands, Python, and C Compile and install Linux kernels Work at a high level with JavaScript and the BoneScript library Expand BeagleBone’s functionality by adding capes Explore the Internet of Things