This shield could be a good alternative to hobby RC controllers for robots that need a customizable open-source motor controller. The PCB design and source code are available on GitHub.

This machine uses a three-phase Dahlander motor, which has three operation modes: stop, half speed, and full speed. The motor uses a special mechanical switch to select the operating mode.

An interesting Arduino project has been published to the Instructables website showing how an Arduino CNC shield and controller has been used to create an awesome 3 axis Arduino CNC plotter.