Basics before starting with Robotics — Part 2
Introduction
So, I just did a couple of google searches on how to learn robotics for beginners and found out the following:
It was kind of a road map and I realized that some of the things I already knew like Python, Physics, Probability, and Linear Algebra but many things I didn’t know including Electronics, Assembling, MIcro controllers, etc.
Then I thought, let’s just start following a book and for that I just did another google search to find the best book on robotics for beginners and found out the following:
I read an answer from Pawan recommending ROBOTICS, VISION, AND CONTROL by PETER CORKE.
One of the primary reasons for starting off with this book was that it was easily available.
When I started searching about the author I got to know about the Robot Academy:
The QUT Robot Academy provides free-to-use undergraduate-level learning resources for robotics and robotic vision. The content was developed for two 6-week MOOCs that ran in 2015 and 2016, which in turn was based on courses taught at QUT. The MOOC content is now available as individual lessons (over 200 videos, each less than 10 minutes long) or a masterclass (a collection of videos, around 1 hour in duration, previously a MOOC lecture). Unlike a MOOC, all lessons are available all the time. Although targeted at undergraduate-level around 20% of the lessons require no more than general knowledge, and the required knowledge (on a 5-point scale) is indicated for each lesson.
They are organized as two multi-course programs:
- Introducing Robotics, a program of 3 courses over 11 weeks. Covers the 2D case only, skipping the 3D case where rotation is relatively complex to explain.
- Robot Vision, a program of 3 courses over 10 weeks
- Based on the top-selling textbook Robotics, Vision & Control
- Pitched at undergraduate engineering and computer science level, prerequisites include:
- knowledge of programming, in particular, object-oriented programming, MATLAB® experience helpful
- knowledge of linear algebra (vectors, matrices, etc.)
- classical control theory (first-order dynamics) — this is limited to just one section (Intro to Robotics lecture 10)
- 6 weeks each
- 2 x 1-hour lectures per week, with formative quizzes to consolidate knowledge
- Weekly assessment for grades
- Weekly programming assignments in MATLAB (auto-graded)
- Delivered via the familiar Open edX software platform from EdCast
So, it was easy to decide that I should just read the book. Apart from that Peter’s work on the Robotics Toolbox and Machine Vision Toolbox really inspired me to just get started.
In the foreword, Oussama Khatib says that Peter Corke brings a great addition to our STAR series with an authoritative book, reaching across fields, thoughtfully conceived and brilliantly accomplished.
I have gone through the intro and found out the following definition of a robot:
Some very interesting information is also provided:
That’s it for now. See you later.
