Microsoft® Robotics Studio® Support

AllMotion announces the release of their services for Microsoft® Robotics Studio® (MSRS). MSRS uses "services" to allow Robotics Studio® to communicate with the outside world. AllMotion services allow users of MSRS to control EZSteppers and EZServos.

Microsoft Robotics Studio screen shot
Screen shot of Microsoft® Robotics Studio®

Description

AllMotion software "services" handle the low level communications between the P.C. and the Motion Controllers. The visual programming interface (shown above) allows users to quickly create high-level control programs by "wiring" together different functional blocks. In the example shown above, the XBOX controller service is on the left side of the diagram. Various outputs (from joysticks, buttons, etc.) are "wired" to decision-making functional blocks, resulting in various commands being generated and sent to the AllMotion MSRS services shown on the right side of the diagram.

Easy Setup

To get started with MSRS

  1. Download amd Install Microsoft® Robotics Studio®.
  2. Download the AllMotion MSRS Services.
  3. Unzip the AllMotion MSRS Services file and copy the six (6) files into the MSRS "bin" folder (as shown below).

Move unzipped files into MSRS bin folder

  1. Download AllMotion MSRS Example #1.
  2. Unzip AllMotion Example #1 and copy the folder to the MSRS "VPLTutorials" folder (C:\Microsoft Robotics Studio 1.5(CTP May 2007)\samples\VPLTutorials). *Your exact directory path may be different*

Drop AllMotion Example #1 into MSRS "examples" folder

  1. Start Microsoft® Robotics Studio®.
  2. Open the AllMotion MSRS Example that you copied to the "VPLTutorials" (C:\Microsoft Robotics Studio 1.5 (CTP May 2007)\samples\VPLTutorials\AllMotioin_Example_1) folder in MSRS. The screen should look something like this.

Screenshot of AllMotion Example #1

  1. Right-click on the AllMotion EZStepper Service block and set the COM Port to the one your EZStepper or EZServo is connected to. Please also verify that the channel on the device matches the channel on your EZStepper or EZServo.

Microsoft Robotics Studio Dialog Box

  1. Click the RUN button and the example will be compiled.
  2. Click one of the command buttons on the interface that pops up. Your EZStepper or EZServo should respond by moving the motor by the number of steps shown in the data window
  3. You can find more examples on our website.

Examples

Example 1
Control EZStepper or EZServo with onscreen control buttons
Example 2 Adds velocity control to Example 1.
Example 3 Control velocity and direction of two motors using an XBOX 360 Controller.