Back to Modern Robotics, Course 2: Robot Kinematics
Northwestern University

Modern Robotics, Course 2: Robot Kinematics

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 2 of the specialization, Robot Kinematics, you will learn to solve the forward kinematics (calculating the configuration of the "hand" of the robot based on the joint values) using the product-of-exponentials formula. Your efforts in Course 1 pay off handsomely, as forward kinematics is a breeze with the tools you've learned. This is followed by velocity kinematics and statics relating joint velocities and forces/torques to end-effector twists and wrenches, inverse kinematics (calculating joint values that achieve a desired "hand" configuration), and kinematics of robots with closed chains. 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: Mathematical Modeling
Status: Numerical Analysis
IntermediateCourse19 hours

Featured reviews

ZI

4.0Reviewed Apr 24, 2022

Theory based course which for me is three stars, but it has one great project which is five stars so overall 4 stars. Course just like first one need more examples and practice

AW

5.0Reviewed Nov 20, 2023

I am extremely thankful to Professor Kevin Lynch and his team for putting in the effort to create this course.

MB

5.0Reviewed Nov 17, 2021

Thank you for your awesome course. I personally recommend you to solve more example to make courses more practical and comprehensive

RS

5.0Reviewed Aug 21, 2020

excellent course, a lot to learn from this course, especially improves programming skills and use of Coppelia sim software

AR

4.0Reviewed Feb 3, 2019

Good course, very heavy on theory with little to no example problems. Its good to teach theory but should be followed up with multiple real world problem to solve by hand or code.

DS

5.0Reviewed Nov 18, 2025

Changes your whole perspective about robotics. I have followed electives while i was in the university but i like this better. really enjoying doing this. well done!

KS

5.0Reviewed Oct 12, 2021

Good mathematical background. Meaningful and thought provoking questions in assignments and project.

JM

5.0Reviewed Dec 9, 2018

More difficult that most Coursera offerings. Lots and lots of glorious math!I really enjoyed it.

MR

5.0Reviewed Mar 12, 2021

Great course, introduces you to robot kinematics well. Week 2 is definitely the most challenging one but well worth it!

AA

5.0Reviewed Sep 10, 2020

The product of exponential method of computing forward kinematics makes alot of sense. The only issue is with the closed-loop kinematics chapter.

SR

5.0Reviewed Mar 20, 2021

A very good course and I am recommending this for everyone. The lectures were little fast.

RM

5.0Reviewed Jul 7, 2020

This was very challenging course if you are not already familiar with things like Jacobians and eigenvectors. Thankfully the lectures were great in helping me understand the gaps in my knowledge.

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