How to integrate software with hardware?

Question

Electronics

I want to write a program for the school (on a PC), which will periodically give calls. I think to write a program either in C or in Python. Interested in how to implement, so that when the time of the call comes, a signal is sent to the email. chain. How to implement it? What are the devices connected to the computer ports and how to integrate them into the program?

Answer 1

You can also assemble on your knee: microcontroller + RTC + relay. Set the settings via USB or directly via UART (using an adapter).
You can expand the possibilities by adding an SD flash drive. And time synchronization via ntp.
Then in general the beast will turn out. And it will be cheaper to buy a "raspberry", having done it on its basis, rather than to study circuitry. Yes, and it will be easier to synchronize: on the raspberry there is a real Linux, and not some kind of stub like an ondroed.

Answer 2

The idea is far from new:
habrahabr.ru/post/228479
habrahabr.ru/post/207138

Answer 3

Programmable relay (with real time clock) PR110-220.8DF.4R-Ch
www.owen.ru/catalog/programmiruemoe_rele_owen_pr11...
Issue price 2655 rub.

Answer 4

The cheapest way is to connect the ScrollLock indicator to an opto-relay (opto-isolated module).
And take something like this: https://python-keyboardleds.readthedocs.org/en/0.3.3/