Virtually build robots with open source Linux based robotics toolkits

Learn how to use virtual arenas to test your robotics algorithms with Linux based robotics toolkits :)

Robotics is the science and technology of robots, their design, manufacture, and application. Robotics requires a working knowledge of electronics, mechanics, and software.

Building a robot involves skills from many disciplines, including embedded firmware and hardware design, sensor selection, controls systems design, and mechanical design. But simulation environments can provide a virtual arena for testing, measuring, and visualizing robotics algorithms without the high cost (and time) of development. This article introduces you to some of the open source robotics toolkits for Linux, demonstrates their capabilities, and helps you decide which is best for you.

(Photograph Wikipedia article)

M. Tim Jones show us how to take the advent of software agents (the virtual robot counterpart) to save both money and time.

FTA, "whether you're talking about a physical robot or a virtual (soft) robot, the fundamental concepts are the same. The robot has a set of sensors used to perceive its environment, a set of effectors to manipulate its environment, and a control system that allows the robot to act in an intentional and useful way...."

Read more at IBM developerworks...

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