Free version of Microsoft's robotics platform available now
Microsoft has released its first preview of
Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio 2008, a re-named and re-designed
version of its 2006 robotics studio software.
Microsoft
Robotics Studio 06, according to the company, had over 200,000 copies
downloaded and over 50 companies in the partner program. Today's update
was unveiled at the Robobusiness Conference and Exposition in
Pittsburgh, the same conference that hosted the premiere of the earlier
version.
This version promises better runtime performance,
improved distributed computing capabilities with LINQ support, and some
new tools. The virtual simulation environment (VSE), for example,
received the ability to record and playback simulations and a new
floorplan editor.
The software is freely downloadable
for noncommercial applications, and with its availability, Microsoft
also announced a virtual robotics competition launching on April 21.
Robochamps (site requires Silverlight) will see Microsoft paired up with SimplySim in getting users of all skill levels to experiment using Robotics Developer Studio and simulate their results.
Source