Before you begin
Starting knowledge
- No robotics background is required.
- Be willing to keep short notes and change one variable at a time.
Equipment & environment
Start on an existing computer with a supported simulator. Buying a physical robot is optional.
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
Recognize the parts of a robot
Explain how sensing, computation and actuation form a feedback loop.
Learn in this order
- Robot versus automation; mobile versus manipulator platforms
- Sensors, controller, actuators and power
- Open-loop commands versus feedback
Put it into practice
- Draw the information and power paths of a familiar robot.
- Describe one bounded task, its inputs and a visible success condition.
A one-page robot-system map and task brief.
Ready for the next step when…
Resources for this stage
Establish vocabulary and distinguish robot types before choosing a platform.
Create a small simulated robot and inspect sensor/controller behavior without purchasing hardware.
Intermediate
Build a sensing-and-action loop
Make a simulated robot change behavior in response to a sensor.
Learn in this order
- Simulation time, units and coordinate directions
- A simple state machine and bounded actions
- Logs, reproducible initial conditions and debugging
Put it into practice
- Build an obstacle-stop or line-following example in a supported simulator.
- Change lighting, obstacle position or sensor noise one at a time and record failures.
A runnable simulation with a short experiment log.
Ready for the next step when…
Resources for this stage
Professional
Present a reproducible project
Turn the exercise into an engineering portfolio artifact.
Learn in this order
- Requirements, test cases and a baseline
- Versioned configuration and limitations
- Trade-offs between sensing, software and mechanics
Put it into practice
- Compare two controller settings using the same start states.
- Write setup instructions and describe one case the robot cannot handle.
A project report, runnable configuration and demonstration recording.
Ready for the next step when…
Resources for this stage
Study the mechanics, coordinate frames, kinematics and control foundations relevant to the exercise.
Work through computational robotics examples and compare numerical results with your own calculations.
Inspect recorded robot signals and build views that expose timing and system failures.
Common pitfalls
- Starting with expensive hardware before defining a task.
- Treating one successful demonstration as general autonomy.
Where to go next
Continue to first robot programming or mathematics and control once the feedback loop and task brief are clear.
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