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Having visited TEDxZurich already payed off. Thomas Amberg introduced me to the concept of Gadgeteer, modular controllers than can be easily assembled and programmed using C#:
Even someone with little or no electronics background can build devices made up of components like sensors, lights, switches, displays, communications, motor controllers, and much more. Just pick your components, plug them into a mainboard and program the way they work together. .NET Gadgeteer utilizes the .NET Micro Framework to make writing code for your device as easy as writing a desktop, Web or Windows Phone application.
The brain child of Microsoft, Gadgeteer works in some ways similar to Phidgets and Arduino. Too bad it seems a bit pricier than the other two options.
Given the fact that Gadgeteer is programmed using C#, it might also be interesting for the game design course at the Zurich University of the Arts, given their use of Unity3D as their main engine – good for students, who then don't have to learn yet another programming language … ;)
Having visited [TEDxZurich](http://tedxzurich.com) already payed off. [Thomas Amberg][2] introduced me to the concept of **[Gadgeteer][1]**, modular controllers than can be easily assembled and programmed using C#:> Even someone with little or no electronics background can build devices made up of components like sensors, lights, switches, displays, communications, motor controllers, and much more. Just pick your components, plug them into a mainboard and program the way they work together. .NET Gadgeteer utilizes the .NET Micro Framework to make writing code for your device as easy as writing a desktop, Web or Windows Phone application.[1]: http://www.netmf.com/gadgeteer/[2]: http://friendfeed.com/tamberg[3]: http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/projects/gadgeteer/[4]: http://www.phidgets.com/[5]: http://www.arduino.cc/[6]: http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/category/265/The brain child of [Microsoft][3], *Gadgeteer* works in some ways similar to *[Phidgets][4]* and *[Arduino][5]*. Too bad it seems a bit [pricier than the other two options][6].Given the fact that *Gadgeteer* is programmed using C#, it might also be interesting for the [game design course at the Zurich University of the Arts](http://gamedesign.zhdk.ch), given their use of Unity3D as their main engine – good for students, who then don't have to learn yet another programming language … ;)
