[orforforof]

I'm excited by the idea that entry level embedded stuff like Arduino and RPi will keep feeding a new generation of tinkerers, in the same way PCs did (speaking as a child of the 80s). With the amount of plug and play sensors and code nowadays, it seems like imagination is the only limiting factor for inventing useful physical things. I suppose this has been going on for a while now, but I'd say we've yet to see the dividends as it takes a generation of kids to start really being creative with the possibilities.

[m-p-3]

I see those as a "gateway-drug" to the world of tinkering, there are so many lesser known (and less powerful computationally-wise) that are better fits for simple devices like the ESP and some wireless communication chips like LoRa and DASH7 that can really expand the stuff you can achieve. And these chips are low-powered enough that you can combine them with a battery and a decent solar panel to make them self-sufficient.

Like you said, imagination is the limiting factor, and I enjoy seeing these kinds of projects popping up in the wild.