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Microsoft Formally Releases Robotics Software

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the i-am-the-atomic-microsoft-robot-please-give-my-best-wishes-to-everybody dept.

futuresheet writes "Microsoft formally released its robotics software yesterday, giving would-be robot builders a new tool to make them do the things they do. The license for the software is $399, and the 'standard' Pioneer P3DX robot that's made for home use is $40,000. Just the same, if you want to give it a try, it is downloadable for free for non-commercial use, and includes a simulator to try things out on your computer." From the article: "It represents a new effort for the company that has Chairman Bill Gates raving about potential growth in a robotics industry that's already worth an estimated $11 billion a year or more. '[A]s I look at the trends that are now starting to converge, I can envision a future in which robotic devices will become a nearly ubiquitous part of our day-to-day lives,' Gates writes in the January issue of Scientific American. Microsoft is not making robots. Its Robotics Studio is software designed to program the devices to collect data from an array of sensors and perform all manner of functions."

5 of 173 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I really couldn't help myself by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    If you can't help yourself, seek help from others because this is really getting old!!!!!!!!!

  2. heh, what do you know, actual innovation by geekoid · · Score: 4, Insightful

    .. making robot software easyier to use, and free for non commercial use , with emulator, is a pretty damn good thing.

    I look forwrd to going home and downloading this.

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  3. Re:Congratulations, Microsoft by kjart · · Score: 2, Insightful

    You're telling me that this is made for home use [bucknell.edu]? What is it supposed to do at my house? I used them for my robotics class in college and I wasn't too impressed.

    Well, the story certainly isn't. Some relevant info from the article:

    A robot with arms and legs that can do gymnastics, the Roomba self-guided vacuum, a lightweight Lego robot for hobbyists, and a squat $40,000 rover equipped with sensors used in the surveying industry.
    ......

    It includes a simulation program so that even if you don't have a $40,000 Pioneer P3DX robot, you can still program one then set it to work in an on-screen simulator complete with properties such as friction and gravity.

    The software, free for hobbyists, students and others pursuing robotics for non-commercial purposes, also has a host of tutorials, robot models and technology services for use by even programming novices.

    It's just a misleading headline - I don't think that even Microsoft would suggest that a $40k robot is for home use. Ignoring the submission and going by the article, though, this program looks like it's actually a good thing, especially since the $399 license is only for commercial applications.

  4. Laws of Apostrophe usage by LordEd · · Score: 3, Insightful

    1) A writer uses an apostrophe to indicate the subject's ownership of a noun (ex. Ed's computer)

    2) If the subject ends with an 's', the apostrophe is placed after the s (ex. Gates' laws of robotics)

    3) A writer should follow rules 1 and 2

  5. Not included in the kit... by aardwolf64 · · Score: 3, Insightful
    The original poster reworded the following positive news about the kit to make it sound like this is totally unusable by anyone, in a misguided attempt to mock Microsoft at any cost:
    It includes a simulation program so that even if you don't have a $40,000 Pioneer P3DX robot, you can still program one then set it to work in an on-screen simulator complete with properties such as friction and gravity.

    It was irresponsible to even post something so slanted... but we should all have grown accustomed to that on Slashdot by now.