Posted by G.W. Lucas on October 07, 2000 at 01:27:37:
[Forwarded from the ANN list and comp.ai newsgroup --- WHH]
A new revision of RP1 -- a free, open source robot
simulator -- is now available. RP1 provides a
two-dimensional virtual landscape in which a
mobile robot explores and interacts with its surroundings.
The software is not coupled to any particular robot platform,
but allows you to define the physical layout of your robot
and its environment.
RP1 has application to AI for both research and teaching
purposes. It has been used successfully by students in
the UK investigating Genetic Algorithms, by robot builders
testing search strategies for the Trinity College Fire Fighting
Home Robot Contest, and in other applications. We are
particularly interested in developing open-source software
for robot control and intelligence.
RP1 is not a game environment (you could use it as such,
but it wouldn't be especially entertaining). Instead, it is
a tool for people writing software and developing algorithms
for mobile robots. RP1 has utility for navigation, maze-solving,
and path-planning problems. The software is written in
Java, permitting it to run on a variety of different architectures.
To learn more or to download the simulator, visit
http://rossum.sourceforge.net.sim.html
as Users Guide and a FAQ are also available
Users Guide http://download.sourceforge.net/rossum/UsersGuide.pdf
FAQ http://rossum.sourceforge.net/faq.html
RP1 is useful now, but much work remains to be done. Because the
software is released under an open-source license, and has been
implemented with an open architecture, you can modify or
extend it to suit your needs. I am hoping to find both Users and
Developers to help further its development.
Thanks,
gary
--
Computer Programming is the Art of the Possible
G.W. Lucas gwlucas@connix.com
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