Re-reading the very first post in this thread I remember a do-it-yourself hardware project I read about in the year 1994: some computer magazine, the German c't, published complete instructions to set up an ADB interface hardware, with an additional RS232 port, several digital I/Os and even expandability to attach a chip card reader. Instructions how to program this device are given, as well. The author Carsten Meyer is very skilled in various electronics and programming and works for the publisher, still.
Here you find the article (in German language; probably the paper has been translated somewhere else):
http://www.heise.de/ct/94/11/230/
The company eMedia supplies an empty pcb (Euro 19.50) and a ready to use programmed EPROM (Euro 14.50) as well as hardcopies of the paper, still. A complete set of parts should be around a probably given 100 $ limit.
With the I/O capabilies one could set up a closed loop to control some other device, let's say switching off a toaster after detecting the bread is nicely browned with some homegrewn image recognition software for a QuickTake webcam in the kitchen ;-)
Did someone make this device or even did some useful liberation with it ?
Here you find the article (in German language; probably the paper has been translated somewhere else):
http://www.heise.de/ct/94/11/230/
The company eMedia supplies an empty pcb (Euro 19.50) and a ready to use programmed EPROM (Euro 14.50) as well as hardcopies of the paper, still. A complete set of parts should be around a probably given 100 $ limit.
With the I/O capabilies one could set up a closed loop to control some other device, let's say switching off a toaster after detecting the bread is nicely browned with some homegrewn image recognition software for a QuickTake webcam in the kitchen ;-)
Did someone make this device or even did some useful liberation with it ?