[joshvm]

> Are there any useful embedded projects?

Probably 80%+ of embedded projects involve reading some sensors and doing something conditional with the output, either sending data somewhere or controlling an actuator. That's a very broad definition, but an awful lot of (frankly poorly made) hardware you can buy does that.

The main difference is that scaling/selling embedded stuff is a lot more difficult than throwing up a website that anyone can view or `git clone`. In principle you can release all your schematics as open source (and if you can, you should), but unless you're going to start manufacturing your widget, people will have to physically build it themselves. That's a fairly high bar, but take a look at the success of Adafruit and Sparkfun - DIY kits are perennially popular.

Also have a look at Tindie, where people sell their own projects.

The sweet spot for hobbyist electronics is building niche things that would normally be extremely expensive to buy off the shelf because there is no economy of scale. Once you understand how to glue things together (with digital electronics), a lot of things become possible. I'm currently working on a daylight-simulating alarm clock, because the off-the-shelf stuff is very expensive for what amounts to a dimmable lamp in a box (even when you go down the route of sourcing quality, high-CRI LEDs with cool-warm dimming, etc).