Virtual Robotic Challege 2011

Virtual Robotics Challenge 2011
featuring the fischertechnik RoboTx

The Virtual Robotics Challenge 2012 at the Ontario Technological Skills Competitions is fast approaching. Please find the updated resources here.

"A special thank you to Carel Vanleeuwen, for his expertise in developing these packages/prototypes"

The following resources are available for the participating schools/individuals.

System Requirements

Desktop OS: Windows® XP SP2, Windows Vista® or Windows® 7 (all editions including x64).
MRDS 2008 R3
Visual Studio 2008 Edition, including the Express Edition. 
In addition to using Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio 2008 R3 as a stand-alone development environment, it can be used with any of the Visual Studio 2008 Edition, including the Express Editions.

Note that you should install Visual Studio before Robotics Developer Studio so that the new service Wizard installs correctly.The Visual Simulation Environment requires a DirectX 9 Graphics Card that supports Pixel Shader 3.0

Visual Studio 2008, or Express can be downloaded from the Microsoft DreamSpark website: https://www.dreamspark.com/default.aspx

Visual Studio Express from here: http://www.microsoft.com/express/Downloads/ or here: https://www.dreamspark.com/Products/Product.aspx?ProductId=29

MRDS 2008 R3 can be downloaded here:  http://www.microsoft.com/robotics/#GetIt

fischertechnik and MS RDS

http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Ussel-IntDev/fischertechnik_public/fttxService_overview.htm

FtxxService (FT RoboTX Hardware Services)

http://www.fischertechnik.biz/media/downloadable/FtTxR08run(2011-02-17).zip

SimulatedFxTxServices (prototype)
a package file with simple FxTx environment, dashboard and support for XBox360 control.
C# and VPL example

The FtTxService has been developed with the new FtMscLib (available in RoboPro 3.1).
http://www.fischertechnik.de/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-39/

http://www.fischertechnik.de/en/ResourceImage.aspx?raid=2724 (direct link)

The users must put the FtMscLib also into the MS-RDS /bin/ directory.

http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Ussel-IntDev/fischertechnik_public/fttx_TrailSensor.htm

some docs about the fxtx_TrailSensor;

http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Ussel-IntDev/fischertechnik_public/fttx_trail_sensor_20110101.htm
 

TrailSensor VPL example package

(this package has been removed as the link is no longer accessible) 

It has been decided that all preparation materials posted until now have been sufficient for the teams to prepare.

Participants should review all the VPL samples and VPL tutorials found in the MRDS samples folder. This will give all they need when presented the challenge at the Skills competition.

HINT! understand the state diagram of the FxTx_TrailSensor above!

Other Resources;

Training Videos on various MRDS topics;

http://idealprogrammer.com/videos/microsoft-robotics-development-studio-15-free-video-tutorials/

Tools and tutorials for VPL

http://www.helloapps.com/QuickStart/