Cheapest Embedded System with Wireless Connectivity?

Question

Problem: I'm trying to capture some information coming from keyboard, mouse and barcode reader connected to some PC via PS/2, USB and/or RS-232, before information get to PC and send it over the Internet to some central server.

I'm thinking to do so by using some kind of hardware interface (middleware, if you like) between PC and input devices. I thought this interface can be embedded PC, PDA or simply some mobile phone with wireless connectivity. PS/2 and RS-232 could be converted to USB using some USB convector/hub that connects to one of these interface systems. Then some special API programming take place to communicate between PC, input devices and wireless server, in the form of application running on the interface system.

What's the cheapest solution that can achieve this?

Or possibly any other solution?

Answer 1

At the German electronics discounter Pollin, you can order a cheap 433MHz/866MHz radio SMD-module that can easily be connected to a µController of your choice (easily involves designing a PCB, well...). The hardware cost sums up to something like 10€ for a complete wireless module. It can be run for months/years from a single battery when done correctly (not transmitting permanently).

Link to product

Answer 2

A device not necessarily of this ilk but in this general technological neck of the woods would do if you just have one mouse, keyboard or barcode reader

http://www.omega.co.uk/ppt/pptsc.asp?ref=WRS232

What makes this a programming question (if indeed the consensus is that this is a programming question!), is what programming platforms are good for multiplexing several RS232 devices through a single channel?

Oh but I expect that there might well be off the shelf hardware that does this just as well if not better. So then you'd have a two part hardware solution.

An even better solutions might be to use an all-in-one bar code reader/keyboard/trackball product with a single interface.

As regards cost / cheapest / vendor I really can't coment! :)

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No this really isn't looking like a programming question... Unless you want to go into mass production of building some of the hardware above yourself. Do you?

In which case, you will most likely want to build a custom embedded device yourself and not use something off the shelf.

Um don't know what to say really.