ROB101 · Introduction to Robotics and Automation
About Course
A clear introduction to robots and automation: what makes a machine a robot, the main robot types in use today, how the sense-think-act loop works and how to judge whether a task is a good candidate for automation.
Who it is for
Working adults and small-business teams curious about robotics who want a practical foundation before going deeper.
Prerequisites
None; basic computer skills and the ability to install a free desktop application.
What you will be able to do
- Explain the sense-think-act loop and identify sensors, controllers and actuators in a real robot.
- Classify robots by type (industrial arm, cobot, mobile robot, drone, service robot) and typical use.
- Run and modify a simulated mobile robot in Webots and describe how parameter changes affect behavior.
- Assess a business task for automation using volume, variability, safety and return on investment.
Lessons
- Lesson 1 · What makes a machine a robot
- Lesson 2 · Types of robots and where they work
- Lesson 3 · Deciding what to automate
- Lesson 4 · Lab and assignment
Lab: Meet a simulated robot in Webots
You install Webots, open a sample world with the small e-puck mobile robot and run its obstacle-avoidance controller. You then change speed and sensor thresholds, observe how behavior changes and relate each part of the robot to the sense-think-act loop.
Free tools: Webots (free, open source, Windows, macOS and Linux)
Assessed assignment
Submit screenshots or a short screen recording of your modified simulation and your sense-think-act table. Describe two parameter changes you made, what happened and why. Then choose a task in a small business you know (for example packing orders, cleaning floors, inspecting shelves) and assess it for automation using volume, variability, safety and return on investment. Conclude whether it is a good candidate and which robot type would fit.
| Criterion | Weight | What excellent work looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Simulation and experimentation | 30% | The simulation runs, two parameters are changed deliberately and the effects are observed and explained. |
| Sense-think-act mapping | 25% | Every component is correctly mapped and the explanation shows understanding of the loop. |
| Automation assessment | 30% | The task is assessed on all four criteria with realistic numbers or estimates and a clear conclusion. |
| Clarity | 15% | Writing is concise, well organized and uses robotics terms correctly. |
Portfolio piece
An automation-opportunity assessment for a real task plus your first documented Webots robot experiment.
Next step
Continue with ROB102 · Robot Components: Motors, Sensors and Controllers · 4 hours · $28.00
Course Content
ROB101 · Introduction to Robotics and Automation (4 h)
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Lesson 1 · What makes a machine a robot
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Lesson 2 · Types of robots and where they work
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Lesson 3 · Deciding what to automate
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Lesson 4 · Lab and assignment
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ROB101 Assessment · Introduction to Robotics and Automation