This work shows the implementation of switching control techniques on programmable devices, in order to improve the performance of a speed DC-motor system under the action of load disturbances. Two main techniques, namely: sliding mode control (SMC) and optimal switching control are analyzed and compared with a classical PID algorithm. Results show that a smooth shaped profile of velocity is generated for the switching techniques and hence an increased performance compared with very noisy PID responses. Also, computational effort is reduced when implementing the optimal control technique on FPGA and ARDUINO microcontroller, showing good results on keeping motor speed close to reference values under disturbances in both cases. An in-depth analysis for robustness and optimality is part of the current ongoing work.