Yes, the personal computer offers incredible processing power, enabling more amazing gadgets than ever before. But as computers and software became more sophisticated, it soon was a major project just connecting a sensor or motor to the computer. Most of the time was spent building the interface into the computer and creating driver software, leaving little time to create the amazing gadget itself. It was like inventing the wheel, over and over. It's a pity too.
Amazing gadgets are possible by utilizing the control capabilities of the personal computer.
The educational possibilities are infinite. Envision the personal computer with electric motors at its control. Imagine the computer with sensors that could measure sound, light, heat, pressure, speed, distance, rainfall. The computer could monitor the weather. The computer could see when the sun came streaming in the window.