Welcome to Introduction to Robotics

Welcome to the WPI Global STEM Education Initiative Introduction to Robotics course using the new XRP Robots. This course teaches the basics of robotics and programming using two programming languages: Blockly and Python. For new programmers, we recommend that you start with Blockly and switch to Python once you gain more familiarity with programming the robots.

The course has several modules you will work through, starting with an introduction to robotics and later covering driving, sensors, the manipulator (robot arm), and more. Each module contains many interactive challenges using the robot; we recommend that you attempt each one in order to get a better understanding of how to program your XRP. With each module, new programming techniques are introduced to solve concrete robot problems, not as abstract unattached learning. This way, students will see the relevance and need for each concept introduced. The course ends with a challenging final project that brings together everything you have learned in all the previous modules.

Final project delivery robot challenge (see final project module for more information)

The course can be run with one robot per student or with teams of a few students working on each robot. Working in teams allows students to help each other as they work through the course. But one student must not be doing all the work, preventing the other team members from learning the material.

This is a brand-new course with new robots and software, so there may be bugs and unexpected problems. We will strive to be responsive to any questions you might have. If you have any questions or find anything not working as you expect it to, feel free to contact us.

For questions and technical support for the XRP, see our Discourse server. There are instructions on how to sign up in the Getting Help section of this course.