Foundations of Robotics Software Engineering with ROS 2

Robotics is transforming industries, but transitioning from traditional software to physical, autonomous machines requires a unique set of programming skills. This course guides you through the fundamental software architectures that allow robots to perceive, navigate, and interact with the world around them. By studying the core principles of robotics software, you will transition from a general programmer to an aspiring robotics engineer. You will gain a solid conceptual and practical understanding of how to structure robot software systems, handle sensor data, and implement autonomous navigation. What you'll learn: - Understand fundamental robotics concepts, terminology, and coordinate transformations. - Configure and write nodes using the modern ROS 2 framework to manage robot communication. - Simulate robotic environments and sensor inputs using virtual physics engines. - Apply localization and mapping algorithms to help robots build maps of unknown spaces. - Implement path planning algorithms to enable safe, obstacle-free navigation. - Practice debugging robotic software systems through structured code walkthroughs and written exercises. The journey begins with foundational robotics math and the architecture of the Robot Operating System (ROS 2). You will then progress through the essential stack of localization, mapping, and path planning, learning how these components tie together to create autonomous systems. This text-based course is designed for software developers, students, and tech enthusiasts who are new to robotics. No prior robotics experience is required, though a basic understanding of programming concepts will help you get the most out of the written code examples. Start reading today to build your foundational knowledge in robotics software engineering.