-- embedded linux development platform. This computer (which fits in an Altoids box) can boot into a fully functional linux enviornment in under 10 seconds. Its functionality/usefulness has been covered by bloggers the world over, so I won't describe it thoroughly here. If you're new to embedded linux, or to this particular product, I highly recommmend browsing Dr. Derek Molloy's notes/videos on the topic -- http://derekmolloy.ie/tag/beaglebone-black/.I wrote/executed code on this device in python to control the stepper motor/camera. The scripts can be accessed/controlled over wifi, which makes development simple. There are resources available online which describe how to configure an Eclipse environment for cross-compiling to embedded linux platforms through an SSH connection. If you're new to embedded linux/programming, this may be overwhelming, However, I think it's worth the effort.-- this convenient little piece of hardware allows the embedded linux device (A) to communicate with the stepper motor (C) through the 3.3 V logic native to the Beaglebone's (A) GPIO pins. It also provides microstep modes which allow you to gear down the minimum step-size of the motor (C) to as small as 1/8 its native resolution.-- stepper motors are convenient in that the error terms associated with each angular step do not accumulate across steps. That is, they allow a high accuracy discrimination of angular position. The motor pictured natively supports 200 turns per revolution, yielding 1.8 degree step sizes. With the easydriver (B), a 1/8 microstep mode can be enabled which gears down the step increments to (1/8)*1.8 degrees, or 0.225 degrees.-- the line laser used here is a black and decker sure-grip laser/level. I picked this up for $10 U.S. on clearance at Lowe's. I believe they typically retail for something around $35 U.S. In place of this device, a simpler line laser can be used, which are available for less than $15 online, from various retailers.-- I'm using a logitech c920. It's not required that you use such a high quality camera. In fact, I'm compressing each frame upon grabbing images, so I'm not fully utilizing the features of this camera that make it expensive. A quick google search will yield a list of HD webcams that have been confirmed to work with the Beaglebone.Stage -- there are a variety of methods with which you could attach a stage to the stepper motor shaft. Googling "stepper motor shaft coupler" will guide you in the right direction. If you'd like to 3D print a stage (as shown in the image above), you can download the STL file at the bottom of this blog. I designed this file in sketchup, specifically to fit the keyed shaft on the pictured motor -- it may require adjustments for your use.