.NET Programming and interfacing with a USB device

Question

This question about my latest interest - Scalextric (Slot Cars).

I'm going to build my own track by way of some MDF and copper tape.

What I would also like to do is develop a lap counter to run on my PC using some sort of usb attached sensor, maybe a light sensor or something to send a current to my application when a car passes over the sensor.

So my question is, can anyone recommend where I should start, would I need a custom circuit board for example? Can I directly interface with a usb sensor from a .Net app? Any help would be grately appreciated.

I'd post the final solution as an open source project too. Just to note, I want to build this application myself, there is an off the shelf program that would do the job but I want to learn.

Answer 1

Have you looked into Netduino? It's an open source hardware platform programmed with the .NET Micro Framework. Not had any experience of it myself, past reading about it, but it looks like it could fit the bill.

Some more information about communicating with the board over USB here: Windows Application Communicating with Netduino Over USB

More basic info here: Netduino, a .NET-powered open source electronics platform

Also take a look over on electronics.stackexchange.com