Turtle Redstone Input

Hello pros.

I've just tried out ComputerCraft, mostly the Turtles. I'm a programmer, but lua is a new language to me.
I'm trying to make some kind of pathfinder, I'm probably going to use Dijkstras algorithm, but I'm having problems to assign a goal. I was thinking of using redstone input at the goal, so the Turtle can detect it, but I don't really understand how to do it.

Can someone give me a short example how to see if there is any redstone input to/around the Turtle?

redstone.getInput(side)  --guess what this does :D/>/>
redstone.setOutput(side)  --and this one is just as strange:D

can i use your redstone road idea for my turtle road function?
It'd be nice and workable with it.

I thought it was that function… I I'll try it again next time.

Sure, you can use it!

Thanks, man!