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There are 4 modules in this course
This course focuses on real-world applications of robotics across diverse domains and environments. Learners will explore how robotic systems operate in complex scenarios, including healthcare, extreme environments, and distributed systems.
The course highlights the practical impact of robotics and its role in addressing societal challenges.
This course is part of the "Robotics & Robots" Specialization.
Contributors:
Prof. Bruno Siciliano, University of Naples, Federico II
Proff. Gianluca Antonelli, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio; Paolo Dario/Gastone Ciuti/Filippo Cavallo/Federico Masiero, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa; Roberto Lampariello, Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics German Aerospace Center; Pedro Lima, University of Lisbon; Robin Murphy, Texas A&M University; Anibal Ollero/Guillermo Heredia, University of Seville; Dezhen Song, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence
"A special mention goes to Mario Selvaggio for his tireless dedication to the project, interacting with all the lesson authors, ensuring consistency and soundness throughout, also in connection with the Springer Nature books supporting the MOOC course. His contribution to defining the problems posed at the end of the various lessons was crucial" - Bruno Siciliano
This week introduces distributed robotic systems, focusing on multi-robot
coordination and networked operation. Learners explore cooperative perception,
localization, formation control, and task allocation as key elements of multi-robot
systems. The second part examines networked robotics, including telerobotics,
system properties under communication constraints, and cloud robotics as an
enabling paradigm. Together, these topics highlight how connectivity and
cooperation extend robotic capabilities.
What's included
6 videos28 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
6 videos•Total 63 minutes
Introduction and cooperative perception•11 minutes
Cooperative localisation and formation control•10 minutes
Multi-robot task allocation, planning and execution•10 minutes
Control spectrum and telerobotics•11 minutes
Properties of networked robots
•13 minutes
Cloud robotics•8 minutes
28 readings•Total 106 minutes
Classes and cooperation in Multi-Robot Systems•8 minutes
Centralization in Multi-Robot Systems•5 minutes
Technical problems in MRS•2 minutes
Cooperative perception and probabilistic target localization•10 minutes
Centralized and decentralized fusion in Cooperative perception•3 minutes
Cooperative localisation in Multi-Robot Systems•4 minutes
State-space and factored approaches to Cooperative localisation•3 minutes
Formation control and cooperative localisation•3 minutes
Swarming•3 minutes
Formation control methods •8 minutes
Planning, task allocation, and role assignment in Multi-Robot Systems•2 minutes
Synchronisation, coordination and commitment•3 minutes
Discrete event systems for Task plan representation•3 minutes
Task plan analysis problems – DES representation•6 minutes
Task plan representation - Petri Nets•3 minutes
Planning under uncertainty•6 minutes
Introduction•1 minute
From Mechanical manipulation to Teleoperation•3 minutes
Control spectrum: from direct control to full autonomy•4 minutes
Architecture and information flow in Networked Robot Systems•4 minutes
Properties: state and command representation•3 minutes
Environment representation and Information fusion•3 minutes
Properties: level of autonomy•2 minutes
Properties: Collaborative control and Crowd sourcing•2 minutes
Cloud robotics: resources, data, and computation•5 minutes
Open-source platforms and collective robot learning•3 minutes
Crowdsourcing and call centers•1 minute
Fog robotics•3 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Distributed and Networked Robotic•30 minutes
Medical Robotics
Module 2•2 hours to complete
Module details
This week explores robotic applications in healthcare, focusing on surgery, limb substitution, and assistive services. Learners analyze how robots enhance precision, support rehabilitation, and improve quality of life. The week emphasizes safety, reliability, and human-centered design in medical contexts. Through these
applications, robotics is presented as a key technology for addressing societal and
demographic challenges.
What's included
3 videos17 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 21 minutes
Robots for surgery•9 minutes
Robots for limb substitution•8 minutes
Robots for assistive services•5 minutes
17 readings•Total 53 minutes
Fundamentals of surgical robotics: past, present and beyond•4 minutes
Computer-Assisted Surgery (CAS): key-modules•4 minutes
Tracking technologies, with focus on optical and electromagnetic-based localizers•3 minutes
Computer-Assisted Surgery (CAS): classification•4 minutes
Regulation and safety in surgical robotics•3 minutes
Lesson learned and future directions•2 minutes
Clinical needs•2 minutes
Physical and cognitive human-robot interaction•2 minutes
Classification and requirements of robotic prostheses•5 minutes
Kinematics and actuation of Robotic limbs•4 minutes
Sensing strategies•1 minute
Representative applications and Commercial prosthetic devices•4 minutes
Common requirements and features•1 minute
Physical and cognitive human robot interaction•2 minutes
User-centered and co-creative design for Assistive robots•3 minutes
Social robots for education and Neurodevelopmental support•4 minutes
Assistive robots for ageing, care, and physical activity•5 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Medical Robotics•30 minutes
Aerial and Space Robotics
Module 3•3 hours to complete
Module details
This week focuses on robots operating in aerial and space environments. Learners study unmanned aerial vehicles, including their modeling, control, and estimation, as well as their autonomous functionalities. The second part introduces orbital robotics, covering kinematics, dynamics, and motion control in space. These domains highlight the challenges of autonomy, limited communication, and operation in extreme conditions.
What's included
6 videos34 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
6 videos•Total 48 minutes
Unmanned aerial vehicles•7 minutes
Modelling, control and estimation of UAVs•6 minutes
Autonomous functionalities•7 minutes
Introduction to Orbital Robotics•9 minutes
Modelling of the orbital robots kinematics and dynamics•8 minutes
Motion control of orbital robots•10 minutes
34 readings•Total 129 minutes
UAVs, UAS, and aerial robots: basic concepts•3 minutes
UAV platforms•2 minutes
Unmanned aerial vehicles with physical interactions•1 minute
Decision and control architectures•3 minutes
Multiple unmanned aerial systems•3 minutes
Modelling of UAVs•2 minutes
Multirotor modeling and control•8 minutes
Fixed-Wing UAV modeling and control•6 minutes
Sensors for UAV navigation•4 minutes
Estimation - Complementary filter•4 minutes
Kalman Filtering for UAV State estimation•5 minutes
Introduction to Autonomous functionalities•1 minute
Path Planning with graph-based methods•5 minutes
Rapidly exploring Random Trees (RRT)•4 minutes
Collision detection and avoidance•8 minutes
Localisation in GNSS denied environments•2 minutes
Orbital robotics and its challenges•2 minutes
High-level tasks for orbital robots•2 minutes
Robot configurations and dynamical properties•2 minutes
Operational modes•7 minutes
Past and future activities in Orbital robotics•5 minutes
Capturing a tumbling target satellite•3 minutes
Spatial descriptions•3 minutes
Kinematics•3 minutes
Orbital dynamics, momentum, and Gyrostatic bodies•4 minutes
Equations of motion of a two-body system leading to an open kinematic chain•2 minutes
Free-floating robot dynamics: generalized Jacobian and dynamic singularities•10 minutes
Advanced dynamic formulations for control•4 minutes
GNC architecture•1 minute
Motion planning for Orbital robot tasks•10 minutes
State estimation•3 minutes
Jacobian-based control•2 minutes
Regulation and tracking control for free-floating and free-flying robots•3 minutes
Momentum-based control and contact handling in Orbital robotics•2 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Aerial and Space Robotics•30 minutes
Underwater and Rescue Robotics
Module 4•2 hours to complete
Module details
This week explores robots operating in underwater and disaster-response scenarios, both characterized by challenging and unstructured environments. The first part focuses on underwater robotics, covering system components such as sensors and actuators, as well as navigation, guidance, and control strategies under constraints of limited visibility and communication. The second part introduces rescue robotics, examining the nature of disasters, criteria for selecting robotic platforms, and the use of different modalities in emergency response. The
week concludes with methods for testing and evaluating rescue robots, emphasizing reliability and performance in critical missions
What's included
8 videos21 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
8 videos•Total 56 minutes
Underwater Robotic pt.1•9 minutes
Underwater Robotics pt.2•9 minutes
Introduction to Rescue robots•2 minutes
What are disasters?•6 minutes
How do responders choose robots•4 minutes
How are each of the modalities used?•18 minutes
How do we test and evaluate rescue robots?•6 minutes
Summary•3 minutes
21 readings•Total 54 minutes
Marine Robots: types, applications, and design factors•3 minutes
Navigation, guidance & control•1 minute
Where is my robot? Reference systems•3 minutes
Vehicle pose and velocity representation•3 minutes
Dynamics•1 minute
Sensors•1 minute
Actuators•2 minutes
Navigation, guidance & control•1 minute
Navigation•2 minutes
Guidance and control of underwater vehicles•4 minutes
What to read next•3 minutes
Getting started•2 minutes
Incidents vs. disasters•3 minutes
Disaster life-cycle•3 minutes
What makes disasters different for robots?•2 minutes
How do responders choose robots?•4 minutes
Uncrewed ground vehicles•4 minutes
Uncrewed aerial vehicles•5 minutes
Uncrewed marine vehicles•5 minutes
Testing and evaluation•1 minute
Lessons learned and future needs in Disaster robotics•1 minute
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Underwater and Rescue Robotics•30 minutes
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