| Microsoft gives away next-gen robotics tools |
Apr. 24, 2008
 Microsoft has launched a new version of its Windows-based robotics programming platform, plus a website designed to stage virtual robot programming competitions. Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio 2008 is available initially as a "community technology preview" (CTP) that is freely available for anyone to download.
Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio 2008 builds upon Microsoft's earlier Robotics Studio, which was launched in 2006. Described as an "end-to-end" development platform, it comes with visual programming tools that can be used to create autonomous robots that run Windows CE, Windows Mobile, Windows XP Embedded, Windows XP, or Windows Vista.
The new release boasts performance improvements, enhanced distributed computational capabilities, and better simulation tools, says Microsoft. For example, message throughput between robot components, known as DSS (distributed shared-memory system) nodes, and between services within a node, is increased by 150 to 300 percent. Services now load 200 percent faster, the company adds.
Robotics Developer Studio 2008 also supports LINQ (distributed language integrated queries), reducing network utilization and simplifying service authoring. LINQ, earlier added to Microsoft's Visual Studio 2008 and .NET Compact Framework, allows sensor data to be filtered and processed close to its source, cutting down the amount of information that needs to be moved across a network.
In addition, the software's VSE (visual simulation environment) tool can now record and play back simulations. VSE also allows storing simulation media resources such as texture maps, bitmaps, and mesh files as embedded resources rather than as external files. Finally, it includes a floorplan editor that makes it simpler to define doors, windows, and other parts of a building.
Windows-based robots won last year's RoboCup soccer competition
(Click on image for further details)
As with the older Robotics Studio offering, developers can use Robotic Development Studio 2008 to simulate robotic applications using realistic 3D models based on the PhysX engine from Ageia, which Microsoft licensed. Robotics Studio includes a simulated 3D soccer field and scoring services, which developers can use to create entries in the ongoing Robocup competition. Last year, Microsoft added a sumo simulation and staged a contest based on it at its 2007 Mobile and Embedded Developers Conference.
Robochamps
To promote Robotics Developer Studio 2008, Microsoft has created a community website known as RoboChamps. The site will offer tutorials, videos, and other background materials, and will also host a regular series of virtual contests. This year's events will culminate in October, when finals will be held using actual hardware, according to the company.
Marc Mercuri, "RoboChamps league commissioner" for Microsoft, said in a blog posting, "Like sports leagues, we will have a regular season comprised of a series of challenges. As RoboChamps is based in simulation, we can provide you with access to environments and robots most people could never get access to -- from a trap-filled maze, to a city populated with driving cars and working traffic lights, to a city struck by an earthquake, a huge soccer stadium, even the surface of the planet Mars!"
Each RoboChamps challenge will come with a 3D environment, a pre-designed robot, a challenge scenario, and the rules for completing it. From there, participants must use .NET to code their robots to complete the challenge successfully, then submit an entry to the league. A referee service will be running to make sure the rules are being followed, determine your score, and send it back to RoboChamps.com.
Meanwhile, a regularly updated video podcast will keep users up-to-date on the activities of the league, according to Mercuri. In addition, Microsoft will have a RoboChamps booth at its TechEd 2008 developer conference, which starts Jun. 2.
Further information
Participation on the RoboChamps league requires registration, here, plus use of either Visual Studio Express or Visual Studio 2008 to do .NET programming. Trial versions of these can be found here and here, respectively. Students can get an upgrade to the full version of Visual Studio 2008 at no cost.
The CTP (community technology preview) of Microsoft's Robotics Developer Studio 2008 is downloadable here. Finally, Microsoft's RoboChamps website may be found here.
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