Shockwave (Director) controlling hardware?

Had a request today to modernize an old video for a museum, fancify it, etc. Well I'm looking at upgrading their current hardware also, and I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about using Macromedia Director to control hardware, if it even can control hardware. I'd like to see a PC board that the Shockwave can control, say, by basically turning switches on and off. I'm wondering if it's possible to, for example, dim the lights at :05, and turn them back on at 35:00, or whenever the length of the presentation is complete. A 1000 different possibilites. Anyone ever hear of such a thing? Know of another option?

Thanks

Do you mean like a controller that theaters use?

No, I don't believe so.