Computers communicate with hardware that physically moves things, like hard drives and CD-ROM drives. Has anyone ever thought about the possibility of it communicating with non-computer hardware? For example, getting it to make coffee? I don't know, but it seems possible, doesn't it? Anyone ever seen or done anything like this before? Maybe turning on a TV or somethign?

Isn't that basically what robotics is?

There is a HowTo for a coffee maker controlled by Linux over at tldp.org.

I'm not making this stuff up.

All I have to say is, Ohhh mmyy god. lol

Isn't there an 8ball controlled by Linux and some Lego, and online to use? The 8ball replies werent real-time but the thing was built iirc.
Crazy...

TiVO is controlled by Linux. It's a intelloigent TV box that "understands" what kinds of movies and programs yoyu like, downloads the TV listings and tries to record the programs you might like on it's internal drive, so every time you turn on the tv you get the see the things you like... neat.
Theres many other things controlled by Linux, search for linux embedded devices (or buy the magazine of the same name) and you'll see.
-NSKL

Everything in my house is controlled by Linux. I cook using Linux, wash my clothes using Linux, flush the toilet using Linux, all the clocks in my hourse are synchronized with Linux, my motor-tooth-brush is driven by Linux and even my mouse-trap is controlled by Linux.

X10, you know those jokers with the really annoying pop-up adds, there's Linux drivers for their gear. Also, I've been looking at a project called lirc, which allows you to use an ir device to talk to anything that takes a remote control, unfortunately only my cdplayer and amp are on the list, but my DVD player has a model near it, next week I'm going to look into using my laptop as a remote.

I have a friend that built a controller for his coffeemaker that connected through serial, but he bread-boarded that together being the king EE-geek that he is.

Cheers,

Finegan

Sorry for joking earlier.
In the school time, i had done a project that a PC control the house-hold devices like switching on and off the lights, rice cookers and anything you want to control. The design was this. We developed a hardware module which actually interfaced with the house-hold devices. And using a PC to communicate with that hardware module through the serial port. There was a web-server running on the PC and we developed web interface so that you can control the devices of your house from anywhere through the web page or your hand-phone. We used Java-servlet for controlling through the web page and J2me for controlling through the hand-phone.

And currently, I'm also doing a project (for my company) which keep track of the usages of the copier and fax of the individual person and project. We are using the embedded Linux and Java for that. And also controlling through the serial port to the actual hardware device controller which is using the PIC microcontroller.