Before you begin
Starting knowledge
- Understand simple code and coordinate directions.
- Have a clear workspace and supervision for any powered hardware.
Equipment & environment
Begin in simulation. For hardware, use documented educational equipment and confirm tooling and stop procedures.
No fixed completion time: use the evidence gates below to decide when to advance. Resource links open the botstest directory entry; check its publisher documentation for the exact version and configuration.
Beginner
Describe a reachable task
Understand what an arm can reach and what must stay fixed.
Learn in this order
- Links, joints, tool frame and workspace
- Payload includes tool and object
- Gripper geometry and object presentation
Put it into practice
- Model a pick-and-place task with a known object and fixed tray.
- Mark the base, object and target frames in a drawing.
A workspace diagram and simulated task specification.
Ready for the next step when…
Resources for this stage
Study the mechanics, coordinate frames, kinematics and control foundations relevant to the exercise.
Compare a compact educational arm for a bounded exercise; verify tooling and supported interfaces.
Create a small simulated robot and inspect sensor/controller behavior without purchasing hardware.
Intermediate
Execute a calibrated sequence
Connect known poses, gripping and error handling.
Learn in this order
- Calibration, home state and approach poses
- Joint limits and collision scenes
- Grasp verification and bounded retries
Put it into practice
- Execute a slow supervised transfer or its simulated equivalent.
- Test a missing object and an occupied destination without blind continuation.
A logged transfer sequence with two exception tests.
Ready for the next step when…
Resources for this stage
Explore robot motion planning, planning scenes and manipulation integration in a version-matched example.
Explore an educational arm platform with its documented programming and classroom workflow.
Study parallel gripping, jaw design and grip verification within a complete arm workcell.
Professional
Document a complete cell prototype
Present a maintainable system with measured boundaries.
Learn in this order
- Repeatability and trial definitions
- Tool changes and recalibration
- Task ownership and operator instructions
Put it into practice
- Repeat the task across controlled starting positions.
- Write a changeover and reset procedure for another learner.
A prototype dossier with results, calibration and reset instructions.
Ready for the next step when…
Resources for this stage
Evaluate an arm development setup, its SDK and the complete gripper-and-workspace configuration.
Explore robot motion planning, planning scenes and manipulation integration in a version-matched example.
Inspect recorded robot signals and build views that expose timing and system failures.
Common pitfalls
- Sending unverified poses directly to hardware.
- Ignoring the mass and offset of the gripper.
Where to go next
Continue to motion planning for engineering depth or imitation learning if your goal is learning from demonstrations.
Explore other learn paths →