Robotics

Free Microsoft Robotic Studio Training

Frank La Vigne — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 11:24:00 GMT

The DC/VA/MD Microsoft Robotics Studio Group has just announced another event.

I will provide a 6 hour training session (with frequent breaks) covering only the basics of using Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio (MRDS) for building robotic systems. We will cover CCR, DSS, and the most used tools so you will gain a working knowledge of how to build robots using this technology.
You will need a portable (laptop or notebook) PC running either Windows XP or Vista. You will also need Visual Studio Express 2008 (free) configured to use C#. I will bring the installation S/W on a thumb drive so we can load your PC at the begin of the training session. We will start the actual training at 10:30 AM. Come at 10:00 AM if you don't have the S/W installed.
This meeting will cover the just released version (2.0).
All are welcome.

Location

Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library
7584 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22043
703-790-8088
How to find us
"Meeting Room 1"

Add to calendar

Technorati Tags: Robotics,Microsoft,Robotics Studio

Brian the Build Bunny

Frank La Vigne — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 15:44:00 GMT

This is a strange, yet interesting, entry from the PDC 2008 ShowOff contest.

The entry is so surreal, you have to read the description for yourself:

A talking, robotic, wifi fuelled rabbit - just what every office needs to keep those pesky developers in check to make sure the Continuous Integration build is working. In this video we introduce you to Brian the Build bunny, and explain how he is connected to Team Foundation Server to notify you of developer check-ins and changes in the condition of your builds. Remember, keep those builds working. You don’t want a hot cross bunny.

Yes, you read that right.

Watch the video to see the serious technology behind the silliness.

Technorati Tags: VSTS,PDC2008,ShowOff,Nabaztag

Free Microsoft Robotics Studio Training

Frank La Vigne — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:13:00 GMT

Attention all Robotics geeks in the DC area, there'll be a free training session on Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio January 10th, 2009 in Falls Church, VA.

From the Meetup.com information page:

When:

10:00 AM Saturday January 10, 2009

Where:

7584 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22043
Description:

I will provide a 4 hour training session covering the basics of using Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio (MRDS) for building robotic systems. We will cover CCR, DSS, and the most used tools so you will gain a working knowledge of how to build robots using this technology.

You will need a portable (laptop or notebook) PC running either Windows XP or Vista.

I will bring the installation S/W on a thumb drive so we can load your PC at the begin of the training session.

We will start the actual training at 10:30 AM.

Come at 10:00 AM if you don't have the S/W installed.

All are welcome.

Learn more here:
http://robotics.meetup.com/77/calendar/9274659/

I've been wanting to take a closer look at MS Robotics Studio for a while now.

Maybe I can build my own R2D2.

Technorati Tags: Robotics,DC,Microsoft Robotics Studio,Meetup

New Books on Robotics

Frank — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:46:00 GMT

You can watch Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot all you want, but no one is going to build a robot for you.

Much less, a flying robot with laser beam eyes and missiles that launch from its finger tips.

However, with the help of some books and the Robotics Studio, .NET developers are one step closer to having their own robot.

Here are two book Amazon recently emailed me about.

There's also plenty of books and blog posts on getting started in robotics.

Developers who live in the DC area have an added bonus, there's a Robotics User Group that meets in VA once a month.

Technorati Tags: Robotics,Robotics Studio

Regional Robotics Competition Tomorrow at UMBC

Frank — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:31:00 GMT

From fellow AISer, Ed Mullin:

Wanna turn your kids into geeks too? Bring them to the FLL Regional robotics competition for students so they can see the fun they could be having. They might even get the urge to join/start a team. The regional tournament is tomorrow. http://www.umbc.edu/fll/
FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is a result of an exciting alliance between FIRST and the LEGO Company. Guided by adult mentors and their own imaginations, FLL students solve real-world engineering challenges, develop important life skills, and learn to make positive contributions to society. FLL provides students age 9-14 with an opportunity to challenge their math and science skills in an internationally recognized competitive environment. FLL combines a hands-on, interactive robotics program with a sports-like atmosphere. Teams of up to 10 players focus on team building, problem solving, creativity, and analytical thinking to develop a well thought out solution to a problem currently facing the world - the Challenge.
First Lego League is an International competition http://www.firstlegoleague.org/

What a great way to get kids interested in science.

More information on the First LEGO League can be found at TechBrick.

Technorati Tags: Robotics,Lego,FLL,UMBC

ActiveNick Talks About Robotics Studio on .NET Rocks

Frank — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 15:40:00 GMT

Nick Landry (aka ActiveNick) talks about Microsoft Robotics Studio with Carl & Richard on .NET Rocks Show #256 [MP3 | WMA | iPod AAC]

Interesting stuff.

Listen to Nick talk about the visual programming language in Robotics Studio: how you drag and drop services onto a canvas and link them together graphically. Sounds a lot like PopFly

Popfly is a website where you have services represented as blocks. You drag and drop them onto a surface and then link them together. Customization is done by tweaking settings on the objects and the connectors.

Is this the development model for the 21st century?

Here are the links mentioned in the show:

MS Robotics Studio (qrb)
DARPA Autonomous Vehicle Race (qr8)
Lego Mindstorms (qrc)
White Box Robotics PC-Bot (qra)

Technorati tags: Robotics, ActiveNick, Microsoft Robotics Studio, PopFly, SOA

Slides from Last Week's Richmond.NET User Group Meeting

Frank — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 15:06:00 GMT

I've posted my slide deck from last week's Richmond.NET User Group meeting on SlideShare.

SlideShare is a free service that allows you to upload your presentation and share it online. Right now, they do not support PPTX (PowerPoint 2007), so you'll have to save in good, old PPT or PPS. The site can even understand PDF files.

Slide decks can also be tagged and searched across. There are plenty of good WPF and user experience slides, including this one entitled "The Age of the UX."

My colleague, Russell Stalters, told me about the service and how easy it was to upload documents and embed them in blog posts. He has a lot of presentations up there on the site.

Technorati tags: SlideShare, PowerPoint, PowerPoint 2007, WPF, Richmond VA, Developer, Device Development, Embedded, Tablet PC, Mobile Computing

Sumo Bot Competition Photos

Frank — Thu, 03 May 2007 12:53:00 GMT

Pictures from last night's Sumo Bot competition at the MEDC 2007 Attendee party.

Technorati tags: Robotics, MEDC, MEDC 2007, Las Vegas

Sumo Bot Competition: Final Round

Frank — Thu, 03 May 2007 12:42:00 GMT

Video from the final round of the Sumo Bot Competition at last night's MEDC attendee party.

Technorati tags: Robotics, MEDC, MEDC 2007, Sumo Bot

Video from MEDC: Robot Push-Ups

Frank — Wed, 02 May 2007 10:12:00 GMT

Here's a video of a robot doing push ups. The robot is running Windows Embedded and is controlled via a Windows CE 6 device wirelessly.

There's going to be some more robotics content here at the conference today.

Technorati tags: Robotics, Microsoft, MEDC, MEDC 2007