You don't have to use a "toy" motor: with suitable buffering, this PICAXE project can control motors in a "real" device such as this cordless drill. . . Here we are modifying a cheap calculator to act as a poor man's counter.
Although these initial "PICNIK box" ideas were based around a solderless protoboard, there's naturally nothing sacred about that!
In fact, reader email feedback shows boundless "down under" prototyping initiative at work, such as just a 16-pin DIP IC socket wired as a minimal test bed. A "seamail" even detailed an old salt's "08" control of a diesel generator (using the READADC feature to monitor output voltage) rustled up while cruising off Tasmania. Did he get a controller dropped by seagull?
Perhaps the appeal of PICAXE circuits relates to just such an
approach, since many of the "usual" electronic components can be organised under software rather than silicon and copper hardware. The "08" is certainly shaping up as the little controller that could...
