New Release 2015.04.04.00

(Autonomous Robot Control Software)
Make robots with the easiest robot programming software. Experience user-friendly features that make any robot easy to program.

Change Release Notes

  • New control for monitoring files that you have open for reading (File Manager found in Add Control -> General -> File Manager)

  • new controls (File Manager & Com Manager) for debugging file and com usage

  • new EZ-Script commands for local COM port usage (ComRead, ComWrite, ComWriteLine, ComAvailable, ComReadAll, ComWriteBinary, ComReadBinary, ComOpen, ComClose)

  • Fix for referencing array's in an assignment (i.e. $x = $array[1] + $array[2] )

  • ezcloud account settings displayed as a dialog if no user account is entered

  • auto positoin uses options to configure the thread priority for faster response

  • added corrected link for appstore link


ARC Downloads

ARC Free

Free

  • Includes a free 3rd party plugin robot skill per project
  • GPT-Powered AI support
  • Free with trial limitations

For schools, personal use & organizations. This edition is updated every 6-12 months.

Recommended

ARC Pro

Only $8.99/mo

  • 2 or more PCs simultaneously
  • Includes unlimited skills
  • Premium support discount
  • And much more

Experience the latest features and bug fixes weekly. A Pro subscription is required to use this edition.

Runtime

Free

  • Load and run any ARC project
  • Operates in read-only mode
  • Unlimited robot skills
  • Early access fixes & features

Have you finished programming your robot? Use this to run existing ARC projects for free*.

  • Minimum requirements are Windows 10 or higher with 2+gb ram and 500+MB free space.
  • Recommended requirements are Windows 10 or higher with 8+gb ram and 1000+MB free space.
  • ARC Free known-issues can be viewed by clicking here.
  • Get more information about each ARC edition by clicking here.
  • See what's new in the latest versions with Release notes.

Compare Editions

Feature ARC
FREE
ARC
PRO
  Get ARC for Free View Plans
Usage Personal
DIY
Education
Personal
DIY
Education
Business
Premium support $14.99/ticket $9.99/ticket
Feature requests Yes
Early access to new features & fixes Yes
Simultaneous microcontroller connections* 1 255
Robot skills* 20 Unlimited
Skill Store plugins* 1 Unlimited
Cognitive services usage** 10/day 6,000/day
Auto-positions gait actions* 40 Unlimited
Speech recongition phrases* 10 Unlimited
Camera devices* 1 Unlimited
Vision resolution max 320x240 Unlimited
Interface builder* 2 Unlimited
Cloud project size 128 MB
Cloud project revision history Yes
Create Exosphere requests 50/month
Exosphere API access Contact Us
Volume license discounts Contact Us
  Get ARC for Free View Plans
* Per robot project
** 1,000 per cognitive type (vision recognition, speech recognition, face detection, sentiment, text recognition, emotion detection, azure text to speech)

ARC Pro

Upgrade to ARC Pro

Subscribe to ARC Pro, and your robot will become a canvas for your imagination, limited only by your creativity.

#1  

This is a fantastic update....With access to the PC's com ports ARC can control other serial devices remotely over Bluetooth (or hard wired) like servo control boards (Lynxmotion SSC-32) and dare I say Arduinos.... Brilliant....

#2  

This looks great. Thanks once more DJ.

However pardon my ignorance. I know a Com port on a computer is a communication port and a serial port. I know the EZB V4 can now send and receive serial commnads through it's UART ports. How is this Com command different from the UART commands and what can this now command do for me?

#3  

@Dave, This is for controlling the Computer's COM port, not the EZ-B COM port. also, slightly different protocol. The UARTs are TTL serial, a standard computer com port is RS232 (although adapters are cheap).

This allows for ARC to control serial devices connected directly to the computer.

Alan

#4  

@Dave..... Being able to use the pc com ports allows to send information back and forth to other devices sans ezb4... Meaning you can control other devices without using the ezb4 at all.... However, most likely when I use the com port functions it will be in conjunction with the ezb4... After all nothing compares to the ezb4's advanced features.... :)

#5  

Much faster and user friendly compared to pyserial. Amazing work DJ .

#6  

OK, I think I see now. However to control these other devices and the computer it's self I expect you need to send the commands ARC. Would the script command look much like the SendSerial or Uart command? I guess I could download this new release and find out for my self (but where would be the fun in that for you guys? ;) )

EDIT: Never mind answering this. I just downloaded it and it's all there in the Script editor.

PRO
USA
#7  

Hats off DJ, just brilliant, Com ports, yay! I have use for this !

#9  

I dont know a lot about this yet but it looks like there are also converters that will allow you to go through your computers USB port:

USB Adaptors

PRO
USA
#10  

Yeah I saw those. A lot of cool options with this version update!

#11  

Can you use Bluetooth... you PC probably has it built in? The other device will obviously have to have it too....

PRO
USA
#12  

Yeah the device does not. I operated it in the past with a USB to serial cable .

#13  

The install screen is all fancy! <Iggy Azalea> "It's sooo fancy, you already know, you're in the fast lane, from the splash screen to the final installation-e-o"

Brazil
#14  

Can anyone give an exemple on how can we control other devices (let's say, a Bluetooth speaker, or so...) using This feature? I'm lost here... ??

#15  

@tevans Bluetooth speakers are driven by windows... when active they just bypass your laptop or pc speakers so the sound/music comes out the Bluetooth speakers instead...

The new com port commands have nothing to do with that. What they do is allow you to control/read serial devices attached to your PC via one of your pc's com port...like a gps, sending and receiving data from an arduino, controlling a servo board like the lynmotion ssc-32.... Practically any device that uses a serial port attached to your pc... Remember it has to be a serial device. Bluetooth speakers do not use a serial interface....

I mentioned Bluetooth because some serial devices like the Lynxmotion SSC-32 servo board can be connected to your PC via Bluetooth (Bluetooth X-bee module). Using the new com serial commands you can control the servos attached to this board over Bluetooth via ARC. ARC would be controlling the servos directly without the ezb....

Brazil
#16  

Ah! I get it. That's cool.. But of course, would make no sense using the ARC withouth the ez-b... Why complicate, if things are going simple.. LOL?

PRO
Synthiam
#17  

Tevans, there are thousands of features in ARC that you would not consider simple. However, many of our more advanced users such as NASA would find then simple, such as this feature. Use the features you find easy :)

Point is, Ez robot makes it easy. You may have no use for the com port commands being discussed here. But for those who do, we made it easy. Get it? :D

#18  

If I hadn't given all of my home automation gear (virtually all of it serial port driven) to Josh Starnes, i would have immediate use for com port support.

In my opinion, the more ways we have to share data between ARC and 3rd party devices, the more flexibility we have in designing advanced robots.

Serial integration could have been done through the SDK, but having it built into ARC's script engine makes things so EZ.

Alan

Brazil
#19  

Yeah DJ! Got it! Mabe my learning curve should be forced a little bit more in that matter! LOL! I'll try something... Greetings!

PRO
Synthiam
#20  

Tevans, lots of time to learn:) don't be too hard on yourself for not getting features like this. I dig your enthusiasm to pick it all up! Gives me a smile when Im able to help people :D

#21  

Thanks DJ,

With controllable COM Port, this is going to be a great features. You've open up another great possibilities in EZ-B's world.