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Microsoft Formally Releases Robotics Software
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 $11 billion a year or more. '[A]s I look at the trends that are now starting to converge, I can envision a future in which robotic devices will become a nearly ubiquitous part of our day-to-day lives,' Gates writes in the January issue of Scientific American. Microsoft is not making robots. Its Robotics Studio is software designed to program the devices to collect data from an array of sensors and perform all manner of functions."
There was actually an interesting article in MSDN on how to use the pre-release version for Concurrent programming. I'll guess that since the general consensus is MS is evil nobody has read this yet: http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/06/09/con currentaffairs/default.aspx
Concurrent Affairs: Concurrency and Coordination Runtime
I personally haven't actually downloaded and used the code but it sounded promising in the article.
From an older article which shows Microsoft's intentions:
Apparently this is now part of a larger strategy to create more University level students accustomed to using and developing proprietary software. "They have decided that the best way to increase enrollment is to work with universities to incorporate robotics and computer games into the computer science curriculum as class projects where students can exercise their technical skills." The robotics and computer games would be developed using various Microsoft proprietary software tools instead of the currently preferred Open Source/Free software tools.
400$ or free. When it's for a 40000$ robot, does it matter anymore? If the software is good (good quality, saves time, performs well, not buggy, etc), I'd go for it. If you can afford 40000, you can afford 40400$ too...
Either ways, I'm using atmel MCUs for all my robotics projects. I'm considering using AVR32 or DSPICs sometime soon (ARM may be fine, but I've never tried it - might be too much of a learning curve). Cheap, and does what I need it to. Surely, that's not what industrial robots use nowadays (we programmed them in karel back when I was into it), but I can make something under 40000$!
Yep! I remember the HERO1 robot! When I was in grade school, I eyed one in a Heathkit catalog, and immediately wanted it. (I vaguely recall it selling for somewhere around the $7000-8000 price range in the early 80's?) I also recall that the arm on the top of it was sold as an option, costing a considerable amount extra.
e x.html) They STILL make it, apparently!
One guy I knew in grade school told me his brother's school actually purchased a HERO1 robot, and they learned to do some simple programming of it in one of their classes.
I also remember a competing product, the RB5X. (Found info on it here: http://www.robotswanted.com/robotgallery/rb5x/ind
One Xmas, my mom took me to a local department store called Goldie's (long since gone out of business), and they had an RB5X wheeling around the store, telling people "Merry Christmas!" and offering to take your picture with a Polaroid camera. I thought that was the coolest thing!