This repository serves as a dedicated archive for my learning journey through the Modern Robotics: Mechanics, Planning, and Control Specialization offered on Coursera by Northwestern University. Its purpose is to centralize all relevant materials, including course scripts, project files, supplementary resources, and certificates of completion, as I progress through this comprehensive program. My ultimate goal with this specialization is to solidify my understanding of fundamental and advanced robotics concepts, directly contributing to my career aspirations as a Robotics Engineer. I am committed to completing all courses within this program.
This specialization is a rigorous and highly regarded program covering core aspects of modern robotics.
- Specialization Link: https://www.coursera.org/specializations/modernrobotics
Courses within the Specialization:
- Modern Robotics, Course 1: Foundations of Robot Motion (Completed)
- Modern Robotics, Course 2: Robot Kinematics (Planned)
- Modern Robotics, Course 3: Robot Dynamics (Completed)
- Modern Robotics, Course 4: Robot Motion Planning and Control (Planned)
- Modern Robotics, Course 5: Robot Manipulation and Wheeled Mobile Robots (Planned)
- Modern Robotics, Course 6: Capstone Project, Mobile Manipulation (Planned)
(Note: I am intentionally tackling the courses out of sequential order based on immediate work-related knowledge needs for ongoing projects.)
I would like to express immense gratitude to the primary instructor, Professor Kevin M. Lynch, and co-author Professor Frank C. Park, both from Northwestern University. They have truly revolutionized the accessibility of complex university-level robotics education, making it comprehensible and engaging for a global audience. The specialization mirrors the structure and depth of their seminal textbook, providing a real-world lecture experience.
- The "Modern Robotics: Mechanics, Planning, and Control" Textbook Website: https://hades.mech.northwestern.edu/index.php/Modern_Robotics
The textbook is freely available online, and it's a fundamental resource for anyone studying modern robotics.
The authors have also generously provided a MATLAB library of functions that are indispensable for the course exercises and projects.
- Modern Robotics MATLAB Library (Official GitHub): https://github.com/NxRLab/ModernRobotics
This repository is structured to logically organize the materials associated with each course and other relevant resources.
Here's a breakdown of the main directories:
-
1_Foundations_of_Robot_Motion/: This directory contains all my personal work, notes, and project files related to Course 1 of the specialization. This includes.mlx(MATLAB Live Script) and.pdffiles for quizzes, along with any simulation-related assets (e.g., CoppeliaSim projects, videos). -
3_Robot_Dynamics/: Similar to Course 1, this directory holds my work, solutions, and project files for Course 3. It specifically includes the peer-graded project with its code, simulations, and related documentation. -
Books/: This folder stores key reference textbooks that are either central to the specialization (like the "Modern Robotics" textbook itself) or supplementary materials that aid in understanding the course content (e.g., "Applied Mechanics Dynamics"). It also includes instructor solution manuals which are excellent for checking work. -
Certificates/: Here, I store the official Certificates of Completion awarded by Coursera for each course successfully finished within the specialization. -
MATLAB_Library/: Although the official MATLAB library for Modern Robotics has its own public GitHub repository, this directory contains my local copy of themr(Modern Robotics) library functions. These scripts (.mfiles) are essential for running and verifying the exercises and projects throughout the specialization.
To work with the scripts and projects in this repository, you will typically need:
- MATLAB: The primary software used for the exercises.
- The Modern Robotics MATLAB Library (already included in
MATLAB_Library/mr/). Ensure this directory is added to your MATLAB path.
For specific course projects, additional software like CoppeliaSim may be required.
Understanding that online education can sometimes be a financial barrier, especially for students, I highly recommend exploring Coursera's Financial Aid program if the course fees are a concern. Many high-quality courses and specializations are made accessible through this initiative.
Furthermore, for those primarily interested in the rich lecture content and theoretical foundations without the need for a certificate or graded assignments, the entire video lecture series from this specialization, which directly follows the chapters of the "Modern Robotics" textbook, is publicly available. You can access these invaluable educational resources on the official Northwestern Robotics YouTube channel:
- Modern Robotics Lecture Playlist: Modern Robotics, All Videos
This provides an excellent opportunity for anyone to learn from Professors Lynch and Park, regardless of their financial situation.
All original course materials, problem sets, and textbook content are copyright of Northwestern University and the respective authors. My personal solutions, scripts, and notes within this repository are provided for educational and personal reference purposes only.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or feedback regarding my learning journey or the content within this repository.
- GitHub: andresalemn
- LinkedIn: andresalemn