This is a interesting piece of software - which should allow you to turn the Arduino into a extensible platform for collecting data, controlled by a host computer.

Firmata

This page is dedicated to a generic protocol called Firmata for communicating with microcontrollers from software on a host computer. It is intended to work with any host computer software package. Right now there is a matching object in a number of languages. It is easy to add objects for other software to use this protocol. Basically, this firmware establishes a protocol for talking to the Arduino from the host software. The aim is to allow people to completely control the Arduino from software on the host computer.

If you are interested, I can help you use this protocol with any software whatsoever. The protocol is quite simple. We will all benefit if we use a common firmware. Then Arduino becomes a really cheap sensorbox in addition to all the rest of the stuff you can already do with Arduino.

[From Arduino playground - Firmata ]

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