Microsoft Robotics Studio; anyone using it?

[blueroomelectronics]

I'm trying to find out more about Microsofts Robotics Studio, what kinds of robots does it support for example. Has anyone gotten their own robots to communicate using it?

 

[tango190]

Yes I downloaded but no, I am not using it as I dont have core products to use it with.

Not sure where they are going with this, but happy they recognise the Robotics zone.

Bob

 

[Hero999]

Well it's made by Micrsoft which wouldn't exactly fill me with confidence.

There's bound to be something better you can get that's also freeware and maybe even opensouce.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

I'm not having much luck finding info about its protocal. What does it want for communications?

 

[tango190]

I'm not having much luck finding info about its protocal. What does it want for communications?

A service pack knowing Microsoft

Sorry - couldn't resist

 

[Pommie]

If it's written by Microsoft then to do a simple line follower will require a lowly P4 with just 256Meg of RAM + wireless internet access so it can validate itself every minute. And it'll still crash into walls.

Mike.
BTW, I'm not joking!!

 

[Hero999]

I'm not having much luck finding info about its protocal. What does it want for communications?

It's probably all proprietary.

All infromatin regarding their file types and data structures has all been reverse engineered, it looks like you'll have to do the same!

 

[Papabravo]

Who cares!

 

[Hero999]

I do.

I wish people would realise that once they start using a piece of proprietary software the chances are they'll get locked into using it forever!

If you want to make sure you'll still have a choice in the future, always make sure it saves in well known file formats and is compatible with other software! This doesn't just go for MS software, it goes for most software.

 

[TheVictim]

"Open the pod bay doors HAL."

"Sorry Dave, in order to open the pod bay doors you will need to upgrade to Microsoft Robotics Studio 2.0 and subscribe to Microsoft Door Manager 2010..."

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Well that's the catch, if Microsoft loses interest (and they probably will) then it becomes abandonware. Open source is so much more practical, and almost always more stable, smaller, efficent.
A friend of mine builds wee robot kits in Toronto, he uses it but I think unless there is an SDK or something I'll avoid it for Mongoose.
http://phenostream.com/index.aspx
**broken link removed**

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

"Open the pod bay doors HAL."

Incidently, that line was the first ever sample done on the Amiga computer!, by the people developing the sound sampler.

 

[Papabravo]

I do.
....

I was refering to Pommie's comment - not the proprietary nature of Mr. Softies greatest works.

As in "who cares if a Microsoft robot takes more resources than any other robot and still crashes into walls".

 

[TheVictim]

I still have a TON of Amiga .mod files. I'm thinking about converting some of the better ones to MP3. I have Amithlon running on a 800Mhz box so the conversion process should go quickly.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

As in "who cares if a Microsoft robot takes more resources than any other robot and still crashes into walls".

My feeling exactly. I recall a conversation with Carl the designer of the robot in the picture above about why the PDA? (he uses the IRDA for communications with the onboard controller) well he indicated robotics studio wanted lots of processing power.

All I could think was a $180 robot kit, a WiFi enabled Windows CE PDA with 64M (no idea what they go for $300?) and a PC running robotics studio with WiFi. I'm pretty sure the first space shuttle got to the moon with less processing power.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I'm pretty sure the first space shuttle got to the moon with less processing power.

Space shuttles don't go to the moon! - they are only low earth orbit devices.

Certainly the moon landings had VERY little processing power on board, and space craft still do really (for reliability reasons).

I seem to recall one of the long range probes used an 1802 based micro-computer, partly for it's low power consumption (it was probably the first CMOS processor), and because they could easily rewrite the entire OS from earth.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Space shuttles don't go to the moon! - they are only low earth orbit devices.

Certainly the moon landings had VERY little processing power on board, and space craft still do really (for reliability reasons).

I seem to recall one of the long range probes used an 1802 based micro-computer, partly for it's low power consumption (it was probably the first CMOS processor), and because they could easily rewrite the entire OS from earth.

I belive it was Voyager, the 1802 was Silicon on Sapphire and designed for space.

And as for the shuttle, I was having my first coffee of the day...

And here's the Apollo guidance computer and an article about it.
http://wohba.com/2006/07/apollo-guidance-computer.html
I like this quote "Building the 75 AGCs at one point used a large percentage of the worlds ICs."
**broken link removed**

 

[Pommie]

PB,
Are you saying,
you don't mind using bloatware?
that you don't care because you won't be using it?
that you will just use it anyway as MS is so brilliant?
that hardware will soon surpass any bloatware?

Mike.

 

[Papabravo]

PB,
Are you saying,
you don't mind using bloatware?
that you don't care because you won't be using it?
that you will just use it anyway as MS is so brilliant?
that hardware will soon surpass any bloatware?

Mike.

Choice #2
Do I win a prize?

 

[Pommie]

Choice #2
Do I win a prize?

Dam, I was hoping it was one of the others so I could debate the issue.

Mike.