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Microsoft Robotics Studio targets Windows CE |
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Microsoft has released an enhanced version of its robotics application development toolkit. Version 1.5 of Microsoft Robotics Studio now allows creation of autonomous robots running Windows CE and Windows Mobile, and also adds support for vision and speech recognition.
Specifically, the CCR (Concurrency and Coordination Runtime) and DSS (Decentralized Software Services Protocol) runtime files in Robotics Studio 1.5 have been ported to the .NET Compact Framework 2.0, according to Microsoft. This enables support for devices running various Windows CE variants, Windows CE 5.0 and 6.0, Windows Mobile 5.0 and 6.0, and Pocket PC 2003.
Previously, robots developed using Robotics Studio had to run Windows XP, Windows XP Embedded, or Vista in order to operate autonomously. Robots based on Windows CE (or its derivatives) had to be controlled remotely by a Windows PC, a limitation that has now been removed.
Other improvements in version 1.5 of Robotics Studio include elements claimed to run up to 500 percent faster, plus improvements to its visual programming language. Additionally, a new 3D real-world-physics-based visual simulation environment has been built on Ageia Technologies Inc.'s PhysX engine, Microsoft said.
Robotics Studio previously included soccer simulation, which includes a 3D simulated soccer field and scoring services, providing support for entrants in the RoboCup 2007 robotics competition. Version 1.5 now adds a sumo wrestling simulation: a competition based on this began in May at Microsoft's Mobile and Embedded Developer Conference (MEDC).
Microsoft also announced it has placed the DSSP (PDF file) used in Microsoft Robotics Studio under its so-called Open Specification Promise. "This means that the Microsoft patents for the services-oriented protocol specification may be used by anyone in the world, at no cost, and for any type of development including free software, open source, or academic," according to the company.
Highlighting a growing number of academic users for the Microsoft Robotics Studio, Microsoft says Princeton University will use the software to power its entry in this year's DARPA Grand Challenge. In the November 2007 event, driverless automobiles will navigate autonomously through a mock urban environment: merging into moving traffic; navigating traffic circles, negotiating busy intersections; and avoiding obstacles.
Robotics Studio 1.5 was previewed in the form of a Community Technology Preview (CTP) in May of this year. The final version is downloadable here.
Microsoft notes that Robotics Services 1.5 can be used to develop services that can be deployed on Windows CE. However, Windows CE cannot itself run the development tools. Supported operating systems for the latter are Windows Server 2003 R2 (32-bit x86); Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 editions; Windows Vista; Windows XP; and Windows XP 64-bit.
Submitted Date: Jul 10, 2007
Source: WindowsForDevices
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