What's new

Clean user interface

The application has a new cleaner look with better support for newer computers with HiDPI (High Dots Per Inch) displays, also known by Apple's "Retina Display".

License

RoboMind and RoboMindAcademy are free for quite some time already. This version finally removes the need for a license file.

Java 11 runtime

Under the hood, RoboMind now uses the latest Java 11. This results in a faster, and more secure experience.

Custom robot

Change the looks of Robo to your likings. Via the > Settings > View screen you can change the head and body of the robot.

Sound Effects

Listen to Robo beeping and buzzing as he's moving around the environment. You can turn the sound on/off in the menu bar, or disable it entirely in the settings menu.

Pro-tip: try customizing the sounds by adding your own sound theme. Have a look RoboMind's installation folder: /sfx/themes.

Lego EV3

You can now make your RoboMind scripts work on Lego's EV3 by following these instructions.

Generate maps

Generate an infinite amount of unique maps straight from a convenient menu.

See > Open map > Generate map...

Of course you can still use things like this in your script:

# map: maze(10,10)

Goto command

RoboMind just got a "goto" command. By typing

goto(5,3)

Robo will find its way to the location x=5 and y=3 without bumping. It returns the number of tiles travelled (e.g. try show(goto(5,3))).

Tip 1: use [F9] to show grid coordinates.

Tip 2: When you opened the remote control, hit the middle mouse button somewhere in the map, and Robo goes to the indicate place (if it is possible).

People with programming experience should't be too alarmed about this new addition to the programming language:)

3D Model Export

Export maps as 3D collada models that can be opened in Google Sketchup (via > [Map] Save as...). If you have access to a 3D printer you can now use models that are generated by your RoboMind scripts!

You can choose to export the walls, white or black paint of a map.

Improvements

This version fixes several things:

• Sparki export for Mac OS X
• Proper auto-formatting of code that contain operators
• Stability improvements when running certain scripts

Sparki robot export

Export RoboMind scripts to Sparki (via > Export). Sparki is an affordable, easy to use Arduino based robot kit.

Find out more about this robot at the Arcbotics website

Map editor

The browser-based map editor is now also included in RoboMind and can be used offline.

Text maps

Generate maps with walls to form a text of your choice. Start you script with: #map:text(Hi there!) and see what happens!

Range sensors

The frontIsClear, leftIsClear, rightIsClear commands now not only tell you if an adjacent location is empty, but even how many cells are clear in that direction.

For example

halfWay = frontIsClear / 2
forward(halfWay)
            

The frontIsWhite, frontIsBlack, ... sensors are also retrofitted to tell you not only if, but how many adjecent cells have that color.

Japanese

RoboMind now speaks Japanese (Hiragana) thanks to Junichi Ito!

Keyboard shortcuts

The script editor allows you to

• Duplicate selected lines with [Ctrl]+D
• Delete selected lines with [Shift]+[Delete]
• Move selected lines with [Ctrl] + [Shift] + [arrow]

Debugging

It is easier to solve problems in your script thanks to the new debugging tools.

By clicking on the line numbers, a break point is added. A break point pauses execution automatically when the command on that line is about to be executed. It is is to step or continue running the code afterwards. By clicking the red circle again,

When hovering the line numbers when execution is paused, it shows the procedures being called and the values of all variables.

Bengali

RoboMind now speaks Bengali (Bangla) thanks to Arnab Chakraborty!

Improvements

This version contains also:

• support for boundless maps
• safer use of variables
• user interface improvements

Variables and
     arithmetic

Due to popular demand, the RoboMind scripting language now lets you define variables.

Where you first were pushed to come up with smart tricks to remember state by changing the environment, you may now store values like a seasoned hacker does.

x = 7
if(x < 10){
    forward(x)
}
else{
    forward(x/2)
}

Take a look at the documentation for more info.

Return values

With variables and arithmetic introduced, it makes sense to start returning values in procedures. That means you can define your own functions.

By default a procedure returns zero, but you can explicitly return a desired value.

forward(double(3))

procedure double(n){
    return(n*2)
}

All basic commands (such as forward, pickUp, ...) now return a "success" value as well. So how many squares the robot actually moved (until it bumped), or if a pickUp succeeded.

Case insensitive

You don't have to watch the use of upper/lower case characters anymore.

For compatibility with the online RoboMind Academy (and therefore mobile devices with unhandy keyboards), you can now write "Forward", "FORWARD", "forward", etc.

Default arguments

To make simple programs even simpler, basic commands now have default arguments (in case they have any). Also, writing empty brackets "()" is not needed since versio 3.0.

So, forward(1) = forward() = forward

Forests

Generate an infinite amount of forest worlds. Start you script with: #map:forest(20,20) and see what happens!

Dungeons

Generate an infinite amount of dungeon worlds. Start you script with: #map:dungeon(20,20) and see what happens!

Islands

Generate an infinite amount of island worlds. Start you script with: #map:islands(20,20) and see what happens!

Caves

Generate an infinite amount of cave worlds. Start you script with: #map:cave(20,20) and see what happens!

Clouds

To celebrate RoboMind now also runs in the cloud, the world now shows... clouds! (Use [F8] toturn them off)

Improvements

Many improvements, such as:

• better Mac OSX support,
• Lego export script fixes,
• save maps from the menu,
• zoom to mouse cursor for quicker navigation,
• new map elements.

License

RoboMind is now only free to use for 30 days, by creating a free RoboMind Academy account. Prices are listed at the download page.

Reformat code

Did your script become a bit messy?

Simply press [Ctrl]+[Shift]+F to format the code automatically! You can also use [Ctrl]+[Alt]+F if you like to have your code blocks start on a new line.

Bug fixes

This version includes some bug fixes.

Italian

RoboMind is now available in Italian, thanks to Nicola Esposito.

Bulgarian

RoboMind is now available in Bulgarian, thanks to Anton Ouzounov.

Slovenian

RoboMind is now available in Slovenian, thanks to Miha Kočar.

Thai

Korean

Hungarian

Czech

French
    (improved)

More native support for RoboMind, thanks to:
Suwat Kanjanavathang for the Thai translation
WonYoung Chang for the Korean translation
Zsolt Magyari-Sáska for the Hungarian translation
Zdeněk Chalupský for the Czech translation
and Hervé Briard, Michel Drolet-Gravel for the French improvements!

LEGO NXT
    Support

Now you can not only quickly test and evaluate your script in a simulation, but also let your creation work in the real world on LEGO NXT robots with a push of a button.

By selecting the new Lego Skin, you can program in style.

Read more in the documentation.

Generate
    Maze maps

Generate an infinite amount of maze worlds. Start you script with:
#map:maze(10,6) and see what happens!

Similarly use #map:area(20,12) to create big empty spaces.

Statistics

Show statistics on how many instructions Robo performed to solve a task (View > Show stats).

Print

Print scripts directly from RoboMind.

Code
    completion

Code completion also works for programming structures and pop-ups the insert menu when anything is possible. So try out [Ctrl]+[Space] more often to reduce typing!

EatUp command

Get rid of beacons entirely by eating them up. Give eatUp a try!

Search bar

A new concise search bar improves quickly browsing your code in style.

Compile balloon

When you start to run a correct script, shortly a balloon is shown to animate that Robo is storing your script in his Mind.

Many small
improvements

Many small improvements have been made to make the graphical interface more user friendly.

License

The RoboMind license changed from this version on. Unfortunately it is no longer open source since it seemed impossible to fund further development without introducing a more commercial license.

The full version of RoboMind stays free for home use. However, schools and commercial users now need to buy a license.

Simulation
    speedup

RoboMind can run much faster. This can be very useful when you want to make your robot do a lot of work!

Code
    completion

Insert your code faster by starting to type the command and then press Ctrl + Space. Select the desired command from the pop-up and press Enter.

Text zoom

Make the script larger by holding Control and scroll the mouse wheel. Especially useful for digital school boards.

Block
    comments

Quickly place a selected text block in a comment by placing # in front of lines, by pressing Ctrl + /. Selected code can be uncommented with Ctrl + Shift + /.

Tip: also indent/outdent code with Ctrl + Tab and Ctrl + Shift + Tab

Indonesian

Catalan

RoboMind is now available in Indonesian thanks to Mizwar Fahri Doni and also in Catalan, thanks to Roger Rué.

Many small
improvements

Many small bugs has been fixed along with many small improvements:

• more flexible maps allowing big images.
• drop scripts and maps on RoboMind to open them
• robot can be controlled with arrow keys via the remote control
• an extra "to start" button in the run panel
• close pop-up windows with the Escape key.

Slovak

RoboMind is now available in Slovak thanks to Matúš Pálfi and Zuzana Tkáčová.

Russian

Ukrainian

RoboMind is now available in:
Russian, thanks to Alexander Bondarev,
Ukrainian, thanks to Grygorij Gromko.

Copy/paste

Improved copy/paste behavior of source code among different applications.

My RoboMind

Scripts, maps and preferences are now stored in the user profile for easier installation in networks.

Syntax
    Highlighting

With syntax highlighting different parts of the script are marked with their own color, making a script more readable.

Spanish

Turkish

Polish

Greek

RoboMind is now available in:
Spanish, thanks to Rogelio Lavenant Jimenez,
Turkish, thanks to Kerim Kürşat Güney,
Polish, thanks to Monika Grybel,
Greek, thanks to Panos Eracleous.

Updated Libraries

The software now runs with the latest internal libraries with improved speed and reliablity.

The interface now has an up-to-date Ribbon menu.

Tip: Double-click a tab to minimize the menu bar.
Tip: In case you are too attached to the old menu bar, look at Settings > View.

French

RoboMind is now available in French,
thanks to Olivier Lemaitre.

Open source

The entire development environment became free and open source. The source is available in the download section. Read the license for more details.

German

Portuguese

RoboMind is now available in German and Portuguese, thanks to Marcel Kirsch and Fabiane Barreto Vavassori Benitti.

Chinese

Swedish

RoboMind now understands Chinese and Swedish, thanks to Bodechang and Adam Troy.

Open map

A script can now open the apropraite map automatically.
For example:

# map: maze1.map
forward(3)

Bug fixes

Several elements of the application are improved, so RoboMind has become more robust.

2.0

Some major features are added in RoboMind 2.0 that will make experimenting even easier.

Watch the demo video!

Stepwise
     execution

To better keep track of what instruction is executed in difficult parts of the code it is possible to go through the code step by step.

Logical
     expressions

Conditions can be refined by using logical expressions with the use of boolean operators. For example, now you're able to express:

if(frontIsWhite() and not rightIsBlack()) { ... }

New basic
     instructions

The robot can now execute the commands north(n), south(n), east(n), west(n) to navigate more easily in the environment in certain situations.

Also the robot can perform random behaviour with the new command flipCoin().

Insert code
     snippet

Basic instructions and controle structures can be inserted in the script from the menu. This saves typework, but is above all a quick reference of the syntax.

Automatic
     script definition
     recognition

The script language will be detected automatically before trying to execute a program. It becomes easier to try script found on the internet in another language. This new version also comes with an automatic script translator.

New
     presentation

RoboMind has a brand new look with some cool features!

Arabic Support

The RoboMind beta is now available in Arabic,
thanks to Hend Al-Khalifa.

Skins and
    color themes

You're able to choose new designs for the monitor and tweak the text areas to your own likings.

Radar

The radar gives you an overview of the whole environment.

Java 1.6 runtime

At the core of RoboMind you will find a new Java Runtime. This results in smoother animations and a better response to the user interface.

English version

RoboMind is ready for to conquer the world, because it now supports English. You can define both the language of the user interface, as the programming language.

Improved Zooming

You can now zoom quicker and the range is limited to prevent extreme values.

First release

RoboMind becomes available to everybody for the very first time.