danwaters.com / robotics

Here you can find some information on the five-part robotics screencast I did, and download applicable source code / movies.

Click here to download the source code for all examples.

This page is currently being updated frequently while I upload the videos... please be patient!

Part 1 - Introduction

The day I met my new robot, I wanted to start programming him immediately. But first I had to get him all set up. Here is how I did it.
Video: Download (wmv) | View on Soapbox

Part 2 - Getting Started

Learn how to:

Set up the iRobot
Send commands to it using a serial cable and Visual C# Express

You will need Visual C# Express. You can download it here.
Video: Download (wmv) | View on Soapbox

Part 3 - Connecting to the iRobot via Bluetooth and driving it

When your robot is driving around, you don't really want it tied to your PC. This video shows you how to connect over Bluetooth and then make it drive in a square using serial commands as before.

You will need Visual C# Express. You can download it here.
Video: Download (wmv) | View on Soapbox

Part 4 - Using MS Robotics Studio and VPL

Writing programs for robots using nothing but serial commands and byte arrays can get very complex very quickly. Robotics Studio is the answer to that problem. With VPL, you don't even need to write code (or have a robot, for that matter) to start with robotics.

You will need Microsoft Robotics Studio. You can download it here.
Video: Download (wmv) | View on Soapbox

Part 5 - Using VPL to create an autonomous robot

The real magic in robotics is not necessarily being able to control a robot in realtime. It's really great when you can read sensor data and have the robot automatically respond. In this example, we read the front bumper to determine if the robot's path is obstructed, in which case, we back the robot up and turn it around.

You will need Microsoft Robotics Studio. You can download it here.
Video: Download (wmv) | View on Soapbox