Microsoft Robotics: cheap but very extensible robot?

Question

Is there any cheap and very extensible robot kit, which can work with Microsoft Robotics?

I want to have a great choice of cool parts for a robot to buy. :)

If where is no such robot kit which can work with MS Robotics, is there any chance to buy a very extensible robot which just can be programmed, maybe even in assembler?

Answer 1

Any good robot kit is, by definition, going to require you to be fairly handy with ALL the aspects related to robotics. That is, you're going to have to learn a bit of mechanical engineering to make sure your locomotion device works properly, a bit of electronics to attach sensors, and so on. If you're looking for a snap together pre-built kit where all the accessories fit into proprietary docking connectors, you're not looking for robotics.

If you're feeling gung-ho about learning to program ICs, you could do worse than the Arduino system. With that in tow, you could look here for more inspiration as far as parts go:

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/categories.php?c=31

The Arduino is one of the more popular open-source robotics base boards, and it's easy to program and get started with. You can do a lot before you run into the hardware limits on that, but you will have to build your robot from bits and pieces, rather than a nicely packaged kit with printed instructions. That's half the fun though.

Answer 2

Microsoft Robotics Studio is a PC robotics platform. So if you want to use that, you need a robot with a PC on board. Unfortunately, this type of robot is more expensive and there are far fewer of them on the market. A select few that I know of that work with RDS:

• Robotics Connection Stinger robot with an ICOP eBox Windows CE PC
• IRobot Roomba with an ICOP eBox Windows CE PC
• CoroWare CoroBot (Full disclosure: I work for CoroWare.)

As Paul said, the Arduino is a popular microcontroller for robotics. Microcontroller robots can be used with RDS, but they operate in a "tethered" fashion, always connected to a PC either with a physical cable or wireless. Some popular robots like this that work with RDS:

• Lego NXT
• Parallax BOE Bot

Of course a custom made microcontroller robot can work with RDS, however, you will have to architect the microcontroller-to-PC interface specifically for your robot and communication medium. This is typically not a task for novices.