Hi HN,
I am studying robotics and exoskeletons as a hobby. Can HN please recommend high quality resources for self study?
Ask HN: Courses/textbook recommendations for studying robotics?
1–10 of 41 posts
Re: Ask HN: Courses/textbook recommendations for studying robotics?
#2Are any subtopics particularly interesting to you?
Mechatronics, Computer Vision, Control Theory, State Estimation, Path Planning, etc?
Re: Ask HN: Courses/textbook recommendations for studying robotics?
#3The classic book for kinematics and dynamics is John Craig, Introduction to Robotics: Mechanics and Control, published by Pearson.
Despite the title, it isn't a particularly good controls book. But it's the standard for kinematics.
Re: Ask HN: Courses/textbook recommendations for studying robotics?
#4“Robotics dynamics algorithms” by Featherstone is a great book to read for modern forward and inverse dynamics and spatial vector algebra.
Re: Ask HN: Courses/textbook recommendations for studying robotics?
#5Are any subtopics particularly interesting to you? Mechatronics, Computer Vision, Control Theory, State Estimation, Path Planning, etc?
Second that.
Similar questions get posted pretty often in engineering subreddits and it's difficult to answer as robotics is so multi-disciplinary.
Very few people in this world are skilled enough in embedded programming, PCB design (motor control and sensors), materials and structures, dynamics and kinematics, controls and machine design (CAD, selecting manufacturing processes, selecting various COTS mechanical parts like actuators and bearings) to be a one-man-robot making orchestra.
Advice to OP: pick a specialization to start with, and focus on learning that while using pre-made parts for the rest. For example, buy a ready-made robotic arm and write path planning and controls software to operate it. Or build your own CNC router/pick-and-place/3D printer/pen plotter but use off the shelf/open-source electronics and firmware.
Once that's done, pick another specialty and move on to that if it interests you.
Re: Ask HN: Courses/textbook recommendations for studying robotics?
#6If you're interested in perception, like tracking & freespace detection or SLAM, then "Probabilistic Robotics" by Thrun is pretty good. For a more fundamental take on that stuff (but less robotics specific), "Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning" by Bishop is my favorite.
Re: Ask HN: Courses/textbook recommendations for studying robotics?
#7Are any subtopics particularly interesting to you? Mechatronics, Computer Vision, Control Theory, State Estimation, Path Planning, etc?
Second that. Similar questions get posted pretty often in engineering subreddits and it's difficult to answer as robotics is so multi-disciplinary. Very few people in this world are skilled enough in embedded programming, PCB design (motor control and sensors), materials and structures, dynamics and kinematics, controls and machine design (CAD, selecting manufacturing processes, selecting various COTS mechanical part…
Good advice.
Can you recommend the names of any off-the-shelf robotic arms or tools that can be modified or hacked?
Any good standard starting points for controller software?
Re: Ask HN: Courses/textbook recommendations for studying robotics?
#8Are any subtopics particularly interesting to you? Mechatronics, Computer Vision, Control Theory, State Estimation, Path Planning, etc?
Second that. Similar questions get posted pretty often in engineering subreddits and it's difficult to answer as robotics is so multi-disciplinary. Very few people in this world are skilled enough in embedded programming, PCB design (motor control and sensors), materials and structures, dynamics and kinematics, controls and machine design (CAD, selecting manufacturing processes, selecting various COTS mechanical part…
Picking up this idea, someone should write a robotics version of "Build Your Own Metal Working Shop From Scrap"[0]. It's a seven volume series where basically you start with rocks, make a series of tools, and end up with a metal shop.
Re: Ask HN: Courses/textbook recommendations for studying robotics?
#9Earlier quoted context omitted.
Second that. Similar questions get posted pretty often in engineering subreddits and it's difficult to answer as robotics is so multi-disciplinary. Very few people in this world are skilled enough in embedded programming, PCB design (motor control and sensors), materials and structures, dynamics and kinematics, controls and machine design (CAD, selecting manufacturing processes, selecting various COTS mechanical part…
Good advice. Can you recommend the names of any off-the-shelf robotic arms or tools that can be modified or hacked? Any good standard starting points for controller software?
There's plenty of toy arms for programming on every electronics site, including amazon. They're basically just a series of exposed hobby servos mounted together in a plastic skeleton. The motors are pretty much standard. You can even buy them with or without an control board.
Buy an Arduino Mega or something. That way you'll have way more pins that you'll need, and shouldn't hit up against the memory limits. Arduinos have a huge community, and the free IDE has all libraries and everything you need. I bought one and an MP3 shield from AdaFruit last year and successfully made a GNK droid. complete with flashing lights and multiple modes of tranquil gonks.
Re: Ask HN: Courses/textbook recommendations for studying robotics?
#10For mobile, "Introduction to Autonomous Mobile Robots" by Siegwart et al.
For motion, "Principles of Robot Motion: Theory, Algorithms, and Implementations" by Choset, et al.
It's telling that few new robotics textbooks have shipped in the past 10-15 years.