Você pode abrir um Excel, bloco de notas, word etc. e através de uma aplicação interagir com este item externo enviando ordens como se fosse um usuário convencional.
Contudo, você não poderá utilizar o equipamento durante esta 'automação' porque ele já está sendo usado.

Imports System.Threading
Imports System.Diagnostics

Module AplicacoesExternas

Chamando uma aplicação externa

    ''' <summary>
    ''' Esta rotina chama e executa uma app instalada no windows
    ''' Ex : app = "Age of Mythology"        abre e executa o jogo
    ''' </summary>
    ''' <param name="app"></param>
    ''' <returns></returns>
    Public Function ChamaExecutaAppExterna(app As String) As Boolean
        Try
            Interaction.AppActivate(app)
            Thread.Sleep(500) '1 segundo
            Application.DoEvents()
            Return True
        Catch ex As Exception
            Return False
        End Try
    End Function

Maximizando a janela da aplicação externa 1

    Public Function MaximizarAppExterna(app As String)
        'ex : "aomx"
        Dim a As String
        Try
            MaximizeExeByName(app)
            Thread.Sleep(300) 'MiliSegundos
            Application.DoEvents()

            'For Each ObjProcess As Process In Process.GetProcessesByName(a)
            '    AppActivate(ObjProcess.Id)
            '    Exit Sub
            'Next
            'MsgBox("Ativar : Não achei : " + a)
            Return True
        Catch ex As Exception
            a = ex.Message
        End Try
        Return False
    End Function

    Private Const SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED As Integer = 3
    Private Const SW_SHOWMINIMIZED As Integer = 6
    Private Const SW_SHOWNORMAL As Integer = 1
    Private Declare Function ShowWindow Lib "user32" (ByVal handle As IntPtr, ByVal nCmdShow As Integer) As Integer
    Private Declare Function SetForegroundWindow Lib "user32" (ByVal handle As IntPtr) As Integer

Maximizando a janela da aplicação externa 2

    ''' <summary>
    ''' Retorna true se conseguiu maximizar a app
    ''' </summary>
    ''' <param name="ExeNameWithoutPathOrExtension"></param>
    ''' <returns></returns>
    Public Function MaximizeExeByName(ByVal ExeNameWithoutPathOrExtension As String) As Boolean

        Dim ps() As Process = Process.GetProcessesByName(ExeNameWithoutPathOrExtension)
        If ps.Length > 0 Then
            ShowWindow(ps(0).MainWindowHandle, SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED)
            SetForegroundWindow(ps(0).MainWindowHandle)
            Return True
        Else
            Return False
        End If
    End Function

Minimizando a janela da aplicação externa

    Public Function MinimizaExeByName(ByVal ExeNameWithoutPathOrExtension As String) As Boolean

        Dim ps() As Process = Process.GetProcessesByName(ExeNameWithoutPathOrExtension)
        If ps.Length > 0 Then
            ShowWindow(ps(0).MainWindowHandle, SW_SHOWMINIMIZED)
            SetForegroundWindow(ps(0).MainWindowHandle)
            Return True
        Else
            Return False
        End If
    End Function

Exibindo ou dando Foco a janela da aplicação externa

    Public Function ExibeJanelaAppExtNormal(ByVal ExeNameWithoutPathOrExtension As String) As Boolean

        Dim ps() As Process = Process.GetProcessesByName(ExeNameWithoutPathOrExtension)
        If ps.Length > 0 Then
            ShowWindow(ps(0).MainWindowHandle, SW_SHOWNORMAL)
            SetForegroundWindow(ps(0).MainWindowHandle)
            Return True
        Else
            Return False
        End If
    End Function

Enviando teclas a aplicação externa

    Public Function EnviaTecla(tecla As String) As Boolean
        Dim a As String
        Dim b As Boolean 'true=tecla enviada, false não enviou

        a = UCase(tecla)
        b = False

        Select Case a
            Case "SHIFT"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("+", True)
                b = True
            Case "ALT"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("%", True)
                b = True
            Case "CONTROL"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("^", True)
                b = True
            Case "ENTER"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("~", True)
                'My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{ENTER}", True)
                b = True
            Case "ESC"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{ESC}", True)
                b = True
            Case "INS" 'INSERT
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{INS}", True)
                b = True
            Case "BACKSPACE"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{BACKSPACE}", True)
                b = True
            Case "BREAK"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{BREAK}", True)
                b = True
            Case "CAPSLOCK"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{CAPSLOCK}", True)
                b = True
            Case "DELETE"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{DEL}", True)
                'My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{DELETE}", True)
                b = True
            Case "END"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{END}", True)
                b = True
            Case "HELP"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{HELP}", True)
                b = True
            Case "HOME"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{HOME}", True)
                b = True
            Case "NUMLOCK"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{NUMLOCK}", True)
                b = True
            Case "PGDN"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{PGDN}", True)
                b = True
            Case "PGUP"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{PGUP}", True)
                b = True
            Case "PRTSC" 'Print Screen - (reserved for future use) - FUNCIONA ?
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{PRTSC}", True)
                b = True
            Case "SCROLLLOCK" 'Print Screen - (reserved for future use) - FUNCIONA ?
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{SCROLLLOCK}", True)
                b = True
            Case "TAB" 'Print Screen - (reserved for future use) - FUNCIONA ?
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{TAB} ", True)
                b = True
            Case "SETABAIXO"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{DOWN}", True)
                b = True
            Case "SETACIMA"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{UP}", True)
                b = True
            Case "SETAESQUERDA"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{LEFT}", True)
                b = True
            Case "SETADIREITA"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{RIGHT}", True)
                b = True
            Case "F1"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{F1}", True)
                b = True
            Case "F2"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{F2}", True)
                b = True
            Case "F3"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{F3}", True)
                b = True
            Case "F4"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{F4}", True)
                b = True
            Case "F5"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{F5}", True)
                b = True
            Case "F6"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{F6}", True)
                b = True
            Case "F7"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{F7}", True)
                b = True
            Case "F8"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{F8}", True)
                b = True
            Case "F9"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{F9}", True)
                b = True
            Case "F10"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{F10}", True)
                b = True
            Case "F11"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{F11}", True)
                b = True
            Case "F12"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{F12}", True)
                b = True
            Case "F13"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{F13}", True)
                b = True
            Case "F14"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{F14}", True)
                b = True
            Case "F15"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{F15}", True)
                b = True
            Case "F16"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{F16}", True)
                b = True
            Case "+"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{ADD}", True)
                b = True
            Case "-"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{SUBTRACT}", True)
                b = True
            Case "*"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{MULTIPLY}", True)
                b = True
            Case "/"
                My.Computer.Keyboard.SendKeys("{DIVIDE}", True)
                b = True
        End Select

        Return b
    End Function
End Module