PDA Sensors and Control

[RayMess]

The Pocket PC is so versitile and developers have come up with some ingenious applications.

But I keep thinking if it is possible for a PPC to become a Sensor input &
control device?
:idea:
I imagine a plugin interface card that would allow for the attachment of various sensors, such as;
temperature, photo sensor, limit switch, motion and vibration. Also medical sensors like pulse & body temperature.

The PPC could just record the data at intervals or react to them, triggering an alarm or sending a message. It could even have an output signal so that the PPC could control another device, completing the feedback loop.

This would open up a world of possibilities for the PPC. It could be used as a real time data collector, a security device, a medical monitor, etc.

[Ravenswing]

Socket Communications do a lot of plug in cards to allow laptops and PDAs to be connected to sensors via serial line and the like. I suspect that's the best you could hope for regarding a generic device.

[PPCRules]

I have also been interested in such things ever since I got my first PocketPC (actually, I've been intersted in this every time I've gotten a new computer platform). There doesn't seem to be much work going on in this area. If anyone knows of leads, please post.

However, my enthusiasm has been tempered by two things (other than lack of available hardware and software tools):

a) Power consumption. For most monitoring jobs, the device would need to be on all the time, or a new level of complexity is encountered with waking the unit up as needed. To be on all the time, AC power would be necessary. Once at that point, other platforms need to be considered that might be more suitable for the task.

b) High cost of the PocketPC. I can't just go out and get an extra one to leave plugged in somewhere doing a job. And I want to bring my PPC with me, so unless it is monitoring my vital signs, those uses conflict. Again, other platforms can be obtained that would be more economical.

Now, as PPCs age, there may be an opportunity to pick up old units for a song (for example, nonreplacable rechargable batteries which won't hold a charge). At that point, things change completely. Interface hardware could still be very expensive, though.