Virtual Robotics Challenge 2012
Virtual Robotics Challenge 2012
featuring MRDS 2010 and fischertechnik RoboTx
"A special thank you to Carel Vanleeuwen, for his expertise in developing these packages/prototypes"
Also a Big thank you to Bob Tone of Tech On eh! in developing the Virtual Robot and Court Environment Models
The following resources are available for the participating schools/individuals.
fichertechnik Maze Bot MRDS System Requirements
-Desktop OS: Windows® 7, (all editions including x64).
-MRDS 4 recommended.
-FtMscLib version 1.24 or higher
-Visual Studio 2010 Edition, including the Express Edition. (optional)
In addition to using Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio 4 as a stand-alone development environment, it can be used with any of the Visual Studio 2010 Edition, including the Express Editions. However, for the OTSC Virtual Robotics Challenge 2012, we will be only using the VPL environment to program the Robot Tx from fischertechnik.
Note that you if you chose to us Visual Studio, 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 or better
Visual Studio 2010 Professional, can be downloaded from the Microsoft DreamSpark website: https://www.dreamspark.com/default.aspx This is only for experimenting with using C# to program your robots with the RDS instead of VPL.
MRDS 4 can be downloaded here: http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=29081
fischertechnik and MS RDS info (useful info from 2011 Challenge)
http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Ussel-IntDev/fischertechnik_public/fttxService_overview.htm
FtxxService (Latest FT RoboTX Simulation and Hardware Services)
The latest FxTx MS RDS Services announements and examples can be found here
NEW!! The direct link to download the latest FxTx MS RDS Simulation Services FtTxBot_sim(2012-04-20).zip file is here.
NEW!! The direct link to download the latest FxTx MS RDS Hardware Services FtTxService(2012-04-20).zip file is here.
Includes a package file with simple FxTx environment, dashboard and support for XBox360 control.
VPL examples.
IMPORTANT!
The FtTxService needs firmware 1.30 on the TX- Controller and FtMscLib version 01.05.11.
Note that this FtMscLib is included in the latest FtTxService deployment package (2012-04-20).
The FtTxService install package will put the FtMscLib into the MS-RDS 4 “bin” directory.
The actual FtTxService will only run with the FtMscLib 01.05.11 and need a TX-C with firmware 1.30.
However RoboPro 3.1.3 is needed to check and update the firmware on a new TX-Controller (=> 1.30).
Download the update for RoboPro to version 3.1.3 from: http://www.fischertechnik.de/ResourceImage.aspx?raid=4111
and install it.
The FtTxService has been developed with the new FtMscLib.
http://www.fischertechnik.de/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-39/ ( Note:FtMscLib is included in the FtTxServcie package)
The users must put the FtMscLib also into the MS-RDS /bin/ directory.
Some docs about the FxTx_TrailSensor;
http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Ussel-IntDev/fischertechnik_public/fttx_TrailSensor.htm
http://web.inter.nl.net/users/Ussel-IntDev/fischertechnik_public/fttx_trail_sensor_20110101.htm
Fischertechnik community posts: http://forum.ftcommunity.de/viewforum.php?f=33
TrailSensor VPL example package
(This package Is now included in the examples of the simulation package)
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/
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc998487.aspx
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/bb648760
Tools and tutorials for VPL
http://www.helloapps.com/QuickStart/
