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: Robotics
Status: Mechanics
IntermediateCourse19 hours

Featured reviews

EH

Reviewed Nov 16, 2022

Great Course. You need to read the related chapters with great focus to pass the course.

UA

Reviewed Mar 12, 2020

The Course is not overloaded, easy to follow with the accompanying book and videos.

TG

Reviewed Jun 28, 2020

Peer-graded assignments could be a little more effective with supervision.

JM

Reviewed Dec 9, 2018

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

KS

Reviewed Oct 12, 2021

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

SR

Reviewed Mar 20, 2021

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

AA

Reviewed 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.

IK

Reviewed May 8, 2023

Excellent course . The programming assignment helps to understand the theory at full scope.

DS

Reviewed 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!

RS

Reviewed Aug 21, 2020

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

AW

Reviewed Nov 20, 2023

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

AA

Reviewed Dec 1, 2020

Awesome course.Only lacking in the forum support, I hope instructors indulge more actively in the forum

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