MICROSOFT has released the third version of its Robotics Developer Studio, said to have improvements on performance and developer environment.
Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio 2008 Standard Edition can be bought from Microsoft, while an Express Edition is available for free for students.
According to the software developer, this new edition offers 1.5 to three times the performance of the previous edition, and services load three times faster.
Also improved was the Visual Programming Language drag-and-drop tool for defining distributed applications. Playback features and a floor-plan editor have also been added for better simulation capabilities.
Users can import content from SolidWorks’ CAD program, and the software is also compatible with Microsoft’s Visual Studio 2005 and 2008.
Robotics supplier ABB says it has a plug-in for university students to create their own virtual robot controller in the software.