The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Robotics

Fundamentals of Robotics

What you'll learn
- Grasp basic terminology, robot configurations, degrees of freedom and common robot types based on applications and workspace.
- Compute kinematics for serial manipulators such as RR planar, 3R articulated arms, RPY wrists and SCARA robots.
- Explore various actuators (DC motors, harmonic drives), sensors (force, tactile, slip) and control strategies used in robotic manipulators.
- Learn cubic polynomial trajectory planning, joint-space vs. Cartesian-space planning and layout of industrial robot workcells.

Requirements
- No prior robotics experience is necessary.

Description
Are you curious about how robots work, move, and make intelligent decisions? This course is your gateway into the fascinating world ofrobotics engineering— where mechanics, electronics, and computing converge.

"Fundamentals of Robotics"is a beginner-friendly yet comprehensive course designed for students, engineers, and enthusiasts who want to understand the foundational concepts that power industrial and mobile robots. Whether you're aiming for a career in automation, robotics design, or advanced research, this course provides the essential building blocks.

We begin by exploring thearchitecture of industrial robots, key definitions, and classifications. You'll then dive into themathematics of robot motion, including coordinate transformations and vector representation. The course coversmanipulator kinematics— both forward and inverse — for commonly used configurations such as planar arms, articulated arms, SCARA, and RPY wrist mechanisms.

In the second half, you'll gain insights into theactuators and sensorsthat drive and monitor robotic systems, including DC motors, harmonic drives, and tactile/force sensors. We also introducetrajectory planning algorithmsand the layout ofindustrial robot workcells, helping you understand how robots operate efficiently and safely in real-world environments.

By the end of this course, you will:

Understand how robots are structured and categorized

Analyze and compute robot kinematics

Explore modern sensors, actuators, and control strategies

Apply trajectory planning for robotic manipulators

Whether you're a student preparing for university exams, a professional entering the automation industry, or a hobbyist wanting to build your first robot, this course will set a strong theoretical foundation for your journey in robotics.

Who this course is for:
- Undergraduate students in Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics, or Mechatronics Engineering.
- Aspiring robotics enthusiasts looking to get started with the fundamentals.
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