Innovation First rolls out ROBOTC programming kit for VEX robots

We haven't heard much about the Carnegie Mellon-developed ROBOTC programming language since it went into beta testing way back when, but it looks like the kinks have finally been worked out -- at least to the satisfaction of Innovation First, which has just rolled out a ROBOTC programming kit for its VEX robots. Among other things, it'll let users write programs that allow robots to perform several tasks independently, and it'll give them the ability to start, stop and pause the execution of a program directly from their computers. If that sounds like the upgrade you've been waiting for, you can grab the basic kit now for $100 even, or get a twelve seat multi-license for a comparative bargain of $315.

[Evan @ Jan 15th 2008 9:32PM]

this will never overtake Intelitek's EasyC Pro, Can program VEX and FRC bots. I build robots at Intelitek, and my mentor designed EasyC Pro. Woot go Intelitek.

Intelitek>>>> http://intelitek.com/
Easy C Pro>>>http://shop.intelitek.com/catalog/

[Jesse @ Jan 15th 2008 11:24PM]

Except that ROBOTC is cheaper, and industry standard, and has a built-in realtime debugger, and has free support materials and tutorials, and is INCREDIBLY faster. Seriously... compare the download speeds. Troubleshooting in EasyC is anything but easy.

By the way... gushing about your mentor/Intelitek/yourself... kinda weird.

[Dave @ Jan 15th 2008 9:50PM]

wow, I remember hearing about this at the 1st pilot competition, in 2005.

[Phris @ Jan 15th 2008 10:44PM]

Odd. My team just uses EasyC for the Vex robot, but the programmers are insisting on just regular C for the FRC bot.

...should be interesting. Vex competition is Saturday.

[Tim @ Jan 15th 2008 11:03PM]

If you go to www.robotc.net, you can see that ROBOTC also works with FRC and VEX.

[Jesse @ Jan 15th 2008 11:10PM]

I've used this software quite a bit at this point, so I'll happily vouch for it's robustness. Also, ROBOTC knocks the sock off of EasyC:

"ROBOTC currently supports the VEX Controller, the FIRST Robotics
Controller, and Mindstorm's RCX and NXT controllers from LEGO. Carnegie
Mellon is currently porting ROBOTC to several other educational robotic
controllers."

Oh. And it's only $30 with free updates.

[sitruc @ Jan 16th 2008 1:35AM]

Is this the stuff they used to sell at RadioShack?

[Belarr @ Jan 16th 2008 1:56AM]

Yes.

[cokebottle tuque @ Jan 18th 2008 9:08PM]

No that was easyC looks to be the same hard ware though.

[Sirocco @ Jan 16th 2008 2:23AM]

Speaking of kits, anyone know CPR? My heart just stopped beating.

[Dyer @ Jan 16th 2008 7:15AM]

The Vex programming kit has been out for over two years.

[Robert @ Jan 16th 2008 11:49AM]

If this is similar to the kit we used last year, then it's crap. You can only move around predefined boxes and not code yourself. It was a pain in the ass to program the autonomous mode!

[Luke @ Jan 16th 2008 1:00PM]

It's different. The crap that you're referring to is EasyC. The ROBOTC programming environment is text based.

[Jake @ Jan 16th 2008 1:05PM]

Yeah, I think you're talking about EasyC. You can type in real code in ROBOTC.

[Joshua Walters @ Jan 16th 2008 1:26PM]

Hmm...

I should be able to try this out. We use Easy C in school right now, and thats actually pretty good, but I would have to say this looks promising as well.

Its pretty cheap, so Im sure the school will pick up at least one license in the coming months.

[Zero_Armada @ Jan 18th 2008 12:22AM]

Just read from ChiefDelphi.com, all US FIRST FRC teams get the FRC ROBOTC program for free...not sure if the VEX connection is the same deal, though.