The STM32F3DISCOVERY evaluation board is available for a real inexpensive price, sometimes free. I snagged one just because STM was doing a giveaway for a short time. Free? Sure I'll take one! No idea what I'll *do* with it yet...
STM32F3DISCOVERY - STMicroelectronics
The three most interesting things about the board.
1. STM32F303VCT6 microcontroller featuring 256 KB Flash, 48 KB RAM
2. L3GD20, ST MEMs motion sensor, 3-axis digital output gyroscope
3. LSM303DLHC, ST MEMs system-in-package featuring a 3D digital linear acceleration sensor and a 3D digital magnetic sensor
In less-nerdy-speak it has a 32 bit CPU with 256K program storage, 48K RAM, a gyroscope/accelerometer and a compass.
It has a test/demo program out of the box. Plug in a live USB cable to either port and the 8 LEDs in a circle light up sequentially. Press the user button and the motion sensor turns on, lighting up 4 of the LEDs to indicate which way the board is tilted. Press the user button again and the compass turns on, lighting the LED closest to North.
All 100 pins of the STM32F303VCT6 are brought out to two 25x2 .1" headers on the bottom, with extra long pins on top for more connection fun.
With the accelerometer, gyroscope and compass, these boards are being used in remote operated and autonomous flying vehicles, so finding a use in the more 2D realm of a car shouldn't be difficult.
One use I can think of is monitoring acceleration and braking forces plus sideways forces to measure the effects of tires on handling.
With all those connections available, should be possible to put something together to interface with any OBD1/2/CAN system.
For some reason the USB drivers for the thing are not on that page, I found them on the page for the ST-LINK/2
http://www.st.com/internet/evalboard/product/219866.jsp
Pull two jumpers on the discovery board and you have a ST-LINK/2 interface, SWD mode only, no JTAG.
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