Back to Modern Robotics, Course 3: Robot Dynamics
Northwestern University

Modern Robotics, Course 3: Robot Dynamics

Do you want to know how robots work? Are you interested in robotics as a career? Are you willing to invest the effort to learn fundamental mathematical modeling techniques that are used in all subfields of robotics? If so, then the "Modern Robotics: Mechanics, Planning, and Control" specialization may be for you. This specialization, consisting of six short courses, is serious preparation for serious students who hope to work in the field of robotics or to undertake advanced study. It is not a sampler. In Course 3 of the specialization, Robot Dynamics, you will learn efficient numerical algorithms for forward dynamics (calculating the robot's acceleration given its configuration, velocity, and joint forces and torques) and inverse dynamics (calculating the required joint forces and torques given the robot's configuration, velocity, and acceleration). The former is useful for simulation, and the latter is useful for robot control. You will also learn how to plan robot trajectories subject to dynamic constraints. This course follows the textbook "Modern Robotics: Mechanics, Planning, and Control" (Lynch and Park, Cambridge University Press 2017). You can purchase the book or use the free preprint pdf. You will build on a library of robotics software in the language of your choice (among Python, Mathematica, and MATLAB) and use the free cross-platform robot simulator V-REP, which allows you to work with state-of-the-art robots in the comfort of your own home and with zero financial investment.

Status: Simulation and Simulation Software
Status: Torque (Physics)
IntermediateCourse22 hours

Featured reviews

MB

5.0Reviewed Feb 20, 2020

Great course! I especially liked last two weeks dedicated to trajectory generation.

PN

5.0Reviewed Apr 15, 2025

Good course. Providing learners academic knowledge, programming skill, and using state of the art software.

SC

5.0Reviewed Jul 3, 2019

Thankyou sir , it was a wonderful journey into the depths of Robot Dynamics !

ZI

4.0Reviewed May 15, 2022

One good assignment which is 5 stars rating, explanatory part of course is 3 rating. Quizes is 4 stars which is in average 4 stars for me.

SM

5.0Reviewed Oct 13, 2018

Concepts and Explanation is great if you are trying to go into robotics career

ZZ

5.0Reviewed Aug 25, 2019

It is better if the "given program" is published in each course.

TG

5.0Reviewed Feb 26, 2019

Great lectures and great book. Very challenging, dont take it if you dont have much time.

JZ

5.0Reviewed Jun 20, 2018

Interesting course, it helps a lot in understanding and applying the material in the textbook.

AV

5.0Reviewed Apr 29, 2020

Good Explanations and Great Peer-Graded Assignment

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