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Unlock the Future of Robotics with Northwestern University’s Modern Robotics Specialization

Are you passionate about robotics? Do you want to understand the mechanics, planning, and control behind mobile robots and robotic arms? If you are committed to mastering the essential mathematical modeling techniques used across all robotics subfields, then Northwestern University’s Modern Robotics: Mechanics, Planning, and Control Specialization is designed for you.

A Rigorous and Comprehensive Learning Experience

This six-course specialization is not an introductory sampler—it is a serious academic program tailored for students who aspire to build careers in robotics or pursue advanced studies in the field. Throughout the specialization, you will explore fundamental topics such as:

• Kinematics – Understanding robot configurations, degrees of freedom, and spatial representation of motion
• Dynamics – Analyzing forces and motion in robotic systems
• Motion Planning – Developing algorithms for navigation and manipulation
• Control – Learning how to design control systems for precise robotic movement

Academic Excellence from a Prestigious Institution

Northwestern University’s Modern Robotics Specialization is led by world-renowned faculty, including Professor Kevin Lynch, Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department. An IEEE Fellow and leading authority in robotics, Professor Lynch has authored multiple influential textbooks and serves as Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. The specialization benefits from the cutting-edge research conducted at Northwestern’s esteemed Neuroscience and Robotics Lab and the Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems, ensuring that students receive a rigorous, high-quality education grounded in real-world applications.

Course 1: Foundations of Robot Motion

The journey begins with Foundations of Robot Motion, where you will gain crucial insights into:

• Configuration space (C-space) and its topology
• Degrees of freedom and constraints (holonomic and nonholonomic)
• Representation of spatial velocities and forces using twists and wrenches

These core principles are essential for understanding robotic movement and control, forming the basis of all modern robotics applications.

Textbook and Hands-On Learning

The specialization follows the renowned textbook Modern Robotics: Mechanics, Planning, and Control by Kevin Lynch and Frank Park (Cambridge University Press, 2017). Learners can access a free preprint PDF or purchase the textbook for deeper study.

Additionally, students will:

• Build a robotics software library in Python, Mathematica, or MATLAB
• Utilize V-REP, a free, cross-platform robot simulator, to work with state-of-the-art robots from anywhere with zero financial investment

Course Highlights

• Chapter 2 (Part 1): Configuration space and degrees of freedom of rigid bodies and robots
• Chapter 2 (Part 2): Configuration space topology and representation; configuration and velocity constraints; task space and workspace
• Chapter 3 (Part 1): Rigid-body motions, rotation matrices, angular velocities, and exponential coordinates of rotation
• Chapter 3 (Part 2): Homogeneous transformation matrices, twists, screws, exponential coordinates of rigid-body motion, and wrenches

This specialization provides a structured, high-quality learning experience that prepares you for the evolving world of robotics. If you are ready to invest in your future and dive deep into the mechanics of robotics, enroll today and take the first step toward mastering this cutting-edge field.