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Modern Robotics, Course 2: Robot Kinematics

Approx. 19 hours to complete

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Course Summary

Learn about the fundamentals of robot motion and apply them in the context of designing robots for various applications. This course covers topics like kinematics, dynamics, control, and planning.

Key Learning Points

Gain a solid understanding of robot motion and its applications
Learn about the mathematics behind robot motion
Explore various control strategies for robot motion

Learning Outcomes

Understand the fundamental concepts of robot motion
Design and implement control strategies for robot motion
Apply robot motion to various applications

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

Basic knowledge of linear algebra and calculus
Some background in programming

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online
Self-paced

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Notable People in This Field

Founder of iRobot and Rethink Robotics
Co-founder of iRobot

Related Books

Description

Do you want to know how robots work? Are you interested in robotics as a career? Are you willing to invest the effort to learn fundamental mathematical modeling techniques that are used in all subfields of robotics?

If so, then the "Modern Robotics: Mechanics, Planning, and Control" specialization may be for you. This specialization, consisting of six short courses, is serious preparation for serious students who hope to work in the field of robotics or to undertake advanced study. It is not a sampler. In Course 2 of the specialization, Robot Kinematics, you will learn to solve the forward kinematics (calculating the configuration of the "hand" of the robot based on the joint values) using the product-of-exponentials formula. Your efforts in Course 1 pay off handsomely, as forward kinematics is a breeze with the tools you've learned. This is followed by velocity kinematics and statics relating joint velocities and forces/torques to end-effector twists and wrenches, inverse kinematics (calculating joint values that achieve a desired "hand" configuration), and kinematics of robots with closed chains. This course follows the textbook "Modern Robotics: Mechanics, Planning, and Control" (Lynch and Park, Cambridge University Press 2017). You can purchase the book or use the free preprint pdf. You will build on a library of robotics software in the language of your choice (among Python, Mathematica, and MATLAB) and use the free cross-platform robot simulator V-REP, which allows you to work with state-of-the-art robots in the comfort of your own home and with zero financial investment.

Outline

Chapter 4: Forward Kinematics
Product of Exponentials Formula in the Space Frame (Chapter 4 through 4.1.2)
Product of Exponentials Formula in the End-Effector Frame (Chapter 4.1.3)
Forward Kinematics Example
Welcome to Course 2, Robot Kinematics
How to Make This Course Successful
Chapter 4, Forward Kinematics
Lecture Comprehension, Product of Exponentials Formula in the Space Frame (Chapter 4 through 4.1.2)
Lecture Comprehension, Product of Exponentials Formula in the End-Effector Frame (Chapter 4.1.3)
Lecture Comprehension, Forward Kinematics Example
Chapter 4, Forward Kinematics

Chapter 5: Velocity Kinematics and Statics
Velocity Kinematics and Statics (Chapter 5 Introduction)
Space Jacobian (Chapter 5.1 through 5.1.1)
Body Jacobian (Chapter 5.1.2 through 5.1.4)
Statics of Open Chains (Chapter 5.2)
Singularities (Chapter 5.3)
Manipulability (Chapter 5.4)
Chapter 5, Velocity Kinematics and Statics
Lecture Comprehension, Velocity Kinematics and Statics (Chapter 5 Introduction)
Lecture Comprehension, Space Jacobian (Chapter 5.1 through 5.1.1)
Lecture Comprehension, Body Jacobian (Chapter 5.1.2 through 5.1.4)
Lecture Comprehension, Statics of Open Chains (Chapter 5.2)
Lecture Comprehension, Singularities (Chapter 5.3)
Lecture Comprehension, Manipulability (Chapter 5.4)
Chapter 5, Velocity Kinematics and Statics

Chapter 6: Inverse Kinematics
Inverse Kinematics of Open Chains (Chapter 6 Introduction)
Numerical Inverse Kinematics (Chapter 6.2, Part 1 of 2)
Numerical Inverse Kinematics (Chapter 6.2, Part 2 of 2)
Chapter 6, Inverse Kinematics
Lecture Comprehension, Inverse Kinematics of Open Chains (Chapter 6 Introduction)
Lecture Comprehension, Numerical Inverse Kinematics (Chapter 6.2, Part 1 of 2)
Lecture Comprehension, Numerical Inverse Kinematics (Chapter 6.2, Part 2 of 2)
Chapter 6, Inverse Kinematics

Chapter 7: Kinematics of Closed Chains
Kinematics of Closed Chains (Chapter 7)
Chapter 7, Kinematics of Closed Chains
Lecture Comprehension, Kinematics of Closed Chains (Chapter 7)
Chapter 7, Kinematics of Closed Chains

Summary of User Reviews

Read reviews of the Modern Robotics Course 2 on Coursera. Users have praised the course for its informative content and engaging lectures. Overall, the course has received positive reviews.

Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course

Many users appreciated the thorough and informative content of the course.

Pros from User Reviews

Engaging lectures that make difficult concepts easy to understand
Thorough explanations of key concepts
Great resources for further learning and practice
Instructors are knowledgeable and responsive to questions

Cons from User Reviews

Some users found the pace of the course to be too slow
Not enough practical exercises or real-world examples for some users' liking
Technical issues with the platform were a frustration for some users
Some users found the quizzes to be too easy and not challenging enough
The course may be too advanced for beginners or those without a strong math background

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