Robotics you can run, inspect, and explain

Each project lists the skills you practice, the outcome reviewers look for, the difficulty, and the technologies involved.

Complete them in simulation unless your institution later issues an optional hardware add-on.

Projects: 6 guided
Environment: Simulation
Levels: Beginner to capstone

Engineer programming and testing robotic hardware on a lab test rig

Six guided projects, from first simulation to capstone

Project 01 Beginner

Mobile Robot Simulation

Construct a differential-drive robot in a simulator, attach range or bumper sensors, and write a program that drives, turns, and stops before a collision.

Skills developed: Python robot scripts, coordinate frames, sensor readouts, open-loop and simple closed-loop driving.
Expected outcome: A recorded simulation in which the robot explores a small world and stops when an obstacle is closer than a defined threshold.

Python
Simulator
Encoders
Range sensors

Project 02 Beginner–Intermediate

Line-Following Robot

Use reflectance or camera intensity to keep a mobile robot on a marked path. Practice feedback: error from the line becomes a steering command.

Skills developed: Sensor calibration, error signals, proportional steering, logging, and repeatable track tests.
Expected outcome: The robot completes a specified course with documented parameters and a short note on where it leaves the line and why.

Python
Feedback control
Vision or IR

Project 03 Intermediate

Robotic Arm Simulation

Author a URDF manipulator, visualize frames in RViz (or equivalent), and execute interpolated joint trajectories toward tabletop targets.

Skills developed: Kinematics intuition, URDF modeling, simulator launch files, trajectory interpolation.
Expected outcome: A three-or-more-DOF arm that reaches a sequence of waypoints without self-collision in the provided world.

URDF
RViz
Gazebo
ROS 2

Project 04 Intermediate

Computer Vision Robot

Detect a known object class or color, estimate its image location, and command the robot to approach or align while remaining at a safe distance.

Skills developed: OpenCV pipelines, detection versus tracking, vision-to-velocity mapping, failure analysis under lighting change.
Expected outcome: A demo (live or recorded video) showing detection overlays and the resulting motion, plus a note on at least one mis-detection.

OpenCV
Python
ROS 2 topics

Project 05 Intermediate

Autonomous Navigation Robot

Build or load an occupancy map, localize, plan to goals, and avoid dynamic or static obstacles using a navigation stack configuration.

Skills developed: SLAM operation, costmaps, global/local planning, recovery behaviors, experiment logging.
Expected outcome: The robot reaches a set of instructor-defined poses in simulation with a map, path visualization, and collision count of zero on the graded run.

SLAM
Nav2 / planner
ROS 2

Project 06 Capstone

Final Robotics Capstone

Integrate architecture, mapping, localization, obstacle detection, planning, and navigation into one autonomous mobile robot. Document the system and present it as an engineer would to a technical reviewer.

Skills developed: System integration, testing, debugging, documentation, engineering communication, sim-to-real awareness.
Expected outcome: A package that can map an environment, localize, detect obstacles, plan a path, navigate autonomously, and reach predefined destinations — with a written report and a short presentation.

Full stack
Simulation
Documentation

Next cohort starts January 5, 2027

Enrollment deadline December 15, 2026. Program fee $1,499. Submit your registration to reserve a place in the six-month, project-centered program.

Apply / Register Now