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Microsoft Targets Robots in School

Microsoft has partnered with College of Computing at Georgia Tech University and Brun Mawr College to form Institute for Personal Robots in Education (IPRE) to reinvigorate computer science curriculum by delivering robotics technology tailored for teaching purposes, scientifically evaluated for its effectiveness in live teaching situations.

Under the alliance, Microsoft will provide the College of Computing at Georgia Tech with USD 1 million paid over three years to develop — as part of the IPRE — practical new ways to bring robotics technology into the computer science curriculum. Matching Microsoft’s support, an additional USD 1 million for the institute will be provided by the College of Computing at Georgia Tech and Bryn Mawr College.

"We want to use the power of robotics to capture the imagination of tomorrow’s computer scientists," said Craig Mundie, chief research and strategy officer at Microsoft. "By introducing exciting new technologies into the computer-science curriculum, we believe that we’ll greatly increase its appeal — especially to students who may not have considered majoring in this field."

Microsoft had recently released a community technology preview (CTP) of its new Microsoft Robotics Studio, a Windows-based software environment offering a common development platform that makes it easier for innovators to create robotic applications for a wide variety of platforms. The Institute for Personal Robots in Education will use the Microsoft Robotics Studio as a core technology.

The College of Computing at Georgia Tech’s curriculum development plan also includes use of a new version of Pyro, an educational robotics software platform, integrated with the new Microsoft Robotics Studio. This approach is expected to significantly reduce the cost of learning to program robots and make robotics more accessible to students because it has been adapted to both simulation platforms and real mobile robots.

The Institute for Personal Robots in Education will begin developing its technology and education immediately, with educational programs beginning in January 2007.


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