We have built a building automation system that runs on the BBB, (it is a .NET/mono based solution). One of the less elegant and more expensive parts of the solution is there are multiple layers of relays to support controlling high-energy devices like large motors. We use a device from controlanything.com via RS-232 which then in turn drives large electromagnetic motor contactors.
What i think would be an amazing solution would be to have an array of solid state relays controlled almost directly by the I/O channels on the BBB, but i don’t think the capacity for current on those channels is quite enough.
Has anyone ran across a cape (or just an external board) that has SSR’s and appropriate amplifiers to take a digital I/O signal, or alternatively, a simple amplifying cape using transistors from a high power source?