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A robotics API dialect for type-safe robots: translating Myro to Ada

Published:01 November 2009Publication History
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Abstract

In this paper, we present an Ada robotics API designed to be used in teaching undergraduate-level computer science. Our API is inspired by Myro, a Python-based API, but we improve upon Myro's usability, readability, modularity, and documentation by using features of the Ada programming language and the GNAT Programming Studio's documentation generation tool. The encapsulation, abstraction, and data hiding provided by Ada's packages make it easy for beginning programmers to use the API for advanced tasks, while Ada's syntax and readability allow educators to use the underlying code later in a course or curriculum to illustrate more advanced concepts to the same students as their knowledge and experience grow.

References

  1. Axelrod, B. 2008. {Myro-users} msrs images (Ben Axelrod). http://myro.roboteducation.org/pipermail/myro-users/2008-October/000405.html accessed 22 June 2009.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  2. Balch, T., Summet, J., Blank, D., Kumar, D., Guzdial, M., O'Hara, K., Walker, D., Sweat, M., Gupta, G., Tansley, S., and others. 2008. Designing personal robots for education: hardware, software, and curriculum. IEEE Pervas. Comput. 7 (Apr. 2008), 5--9. DOI=http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/MPRV.2008.29 Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  3. Blank, D., Meeden, L., Kumar, D. 2003. Python robotics: an environment for exploring robotics beyond LEGOs. In Proceedings of the SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education. SIGCSE'03. ACM Press, New York, NY 317--321. DOI= http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/611892.611996. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  4. Mentis, A., Reynolds, C., Abbott-McCune, D., and Ring, B. 2009. Cementing abstraction with a concrete application: a focused use of robotics in CS1. In Proceedings of the ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition (Austin, TX, June 14 - 17, 2009). ASEE. Washington, D.C. http://soa.asee.org/paper/conference/paper-view.cfm?id=10527Google ScholarGoogle Scholar

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  1. A robotics API dialect for type-safe robots: translating Myro to Ada

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        • Published in

          cover image ACM SIGAda Ada Letters
          ACM SIGAda Ada Letters  Volume 29, Issue 3
          SIGAda '09
          December 2009
          113 pages
          ISSN:1094-3641
          DOI:10.1145/1653616
          Issue’s Table of Contents
          • cover image ACM Conferences
            SIGAda '09: Proceedings of the ACM SIGAda annual international conference on Ada and related technologies
            November 2009
            142 pages
            ISBN:9781605584751
            DOI:10.1145/1647420

          Copyright © 2009 ACM

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          Association for Computing Machinery

          New York, NY, United States

          Publication History

          • Published: 1 November 2009

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