GuidoVanRobot - SeaPIG

GuidoVanRobot is an exciting new language for students that is an evolution of KarelTheRobot, but which uses Pythonic indentation.

I helped start a port of KarelTheRobot to Python when I was in Seattle, but the project's really taken on a life of its own since then, thanks to the folks at Yorktown High School in Arlington, VA. Paul Carduner, a high school student, implemented the new learning language, which we call GVR for short. It is free software.

A good description is here:

http://gvr.sourceforge.net

You can see screen shots of the Yorktown implementation here:

http://gvr.sourceforge.net/screen_shots/

It use WxPython for the interface.

Here is an example program, which gets instructs the robot on how to get out of a room:

define turnright:
    do 3:
        turnleft

define sidestep_right:
    turnright
    move
    turnleft

define sidestep_back_left:
    turnleft
    move
    turnright

define shuffle:
    sidestep_right
    if front_is_clear:
        sidestep_back_left
        move

define go_to_wall:
    while front_is_clear:
        if right_is_blocked:
            turnright
        else:
            shuffle

define follow_perimeter:
    if front_is_clear:
        move
    else:
        turnleft

define follow_until_door_is_on_right:
    while right_is_blocked:
        follow_perimeter

define exit_door:
    turnright
    move

go_to_wall
turnleft
follow_until_door_is_on_right
exit_door
turnoff

GvR is primarily developed under Linux, but we now have the Windows port working again. In February 2004 the project was given Dutch and French language mappings. Recently Catalan was added as well.

-- SteveHowell