Looking for Hardware that will easily interface with my .NET code.

Question

I'm a .NET C# developer looking to do some hardware interfacing/programming. I just want something super simple to mess around with. I have done one of those basic stamp projects, but I want something with less electrical work. A self-contained piece of hardware would be fine.

• I'm not really looking to do embedded programming... but that would actually be pretty cool if something was capable of running .net code.
• I'm looking for something that would be easy to connect, hopefully via USB. Serial ports seems to be more hit or miss nowadays with laptops and netbooks.
• Something I can easily send data to, like a mini LCD, or series of LED's.
• Better yet would be something that provides feedback, like a temperature sensor.
• The best would be something more featured that I could talk to. I would be able to send data to it, and it would send back responses. Maybe something like a servo that could report it's position? Or maybe something that I could set parameters on?

Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Here's a blog about hobby robotics and C# that should give you some project ideas.

Answer 2

You could take a look at the .NET microframework

The SDK comes with an emulator to play with virtual hardware.

Answer 3

You may want to check out http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/netframework/bb267253.aspx, there you'll see links to Turnkey Hardware.

http://devicesolutions.net/Products/TahoeII.aspx has:

• Meridian CPU (ARM920 @ 100MHz, 4Mbytes Flash, 8Mbytes SDRAM)
• 3.5” Landscape TFT LCD with touch-screen
• 9 user input buttons
• RS232 serial (DB9)
• USB Function
• Ethernet
• Accelerometer, with support for event notification including free-fall detection
• SD Card interface
• Temperature sensor and 2x ADC channels
• Interface for XBee wireless module (and additional ADC channels if fitted)
• PWM output
• Expansion connectors that expose GPIO, I2C, SPI and UART signals

That's the closest I've seen to your needs so far....

There's a bunch of videos on Channel9 showing off contest winners/finalists using this board at http://channel9.msdn.com/tags/.NET+Micro+Framework/.

HTH.

Answer 4

Check out Phidgets. I haven't used them, but they look like they might be what you're looking for. Their SDK supports a variety of languages, including C#.

http://www.phidgets.com/

Answer 5

Check out the .NET Micro Framework development kits from Device Solutions.

Answer 6

If you're into robotics: http://www.microsoft.com/robotics/default.aspx#Product. They have quite a list of partners (including Lego NXT): http://www.microsoft.com/robotics/default.aspx#FindPartner

Answer 7

One of my coworkers did a school project that involved a Wiimote, an Arduino board, some other hard ware, and an XNA app. He explained it to me, and it seemed very easy to get the whole thing running. Apparently there is a connector you can buy so you don't even have to hack up your Wiimote cable! I know Arduino have a big following to, and there is a lot of tutorials and things out there for it.

It's not really a full-featured game, just a proof of concept sort of thing.

Documentation: http://users.wpi.edu/~kmcmanus/DeadToLights/

Video of him and his friends playing it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3vFA1lgb34

Answer 8

I generally use Arduinos for smaller projects (and before that, OOPic).

For something that'll more directly interface with a desktop .NET app (e.g. without having to design your own serial comms protocol), check out Serializer.NET:

http://www.roboticsconnection.com/p-16-serializer-robot-controller.aspx

Haven't used it myself, but I've heard it's a pretty nice setup-- might pick one up at some point.

Answer 9

take a look at FriendlyArm products, for example Mini2440. You can setup Windows CE on it and have full debug via ActiveSynch. The hardware is quite popular and well documented. You can buy it on ebay for about 70-120$ depending on display size. http://www.friendlyarm.net/products/mini2440

Answer 10

Check out the Netduino. It is based on the Arduino but is programmed with the .Net Micro Framework.