AI and robotics are the latest exciting innovations and if you are curious to learn them, there are free courses available. Curated in this blog post are free online robotics course for beginners who either want to satisfy their curiosity about robots or want to pursue an exciting career in the field of robotics.
Robots and AI are things we used to watch in sci-fi movies and today, they are gradually becoming a reality. Although robotics have been in existence for a long time with the advancement of technology and the exploration/advancement of artificial intelligence they are now making waves. Now, we have self-driving cars and actual robots working as waiters in restaurants and cleaners in some facilities.
These robots were built and designed completely by humans which means just about anyone with the desire to learn it can also be able to build and design robots. As an emerging technology that recently gained global interest, it has become easy to find materials on AI and robotics, provided by tech experts, for anyone who wishes to learn robotics.
You can find tutorials on YouTube and other online learning platforms, like Udemy and Coursera, teaching robotics but they are also scattered across the web and could be a daunting task for you to look for them on your own. Therefore, we have made it much easier for you by gathering the relevant free online robotics course for beginners under one umbrella so that you can easily access them.
Yes, free. All the courses on robotics curated here are 100% free with some offering a free certificate when you finish studying all the topics and pass the assessment. If you have no knowledge of robotics, then these are the courses for you to get started with and gain foundational knowledge of the field before progressing to the next level.
College students enrolled in a robotics program like mechatronics can also take on some of the free online robotics course for beginners curated here to learn more outside of what they are taught in class. Most of the online courses are practical-based, therefore, learners will have fun applying what they are learning. The courses are also taught by experts in robotics.
So, if you have an interest in computer science, robotics, programming, machine learning, and AI you should get started with the free online robotics course for beginners I have curated here. As a professional or expert in robotics, you may find these courses too amateur for you, therefore, you can use them in teaching those who are thirsty for knowledge.
Beginners can also take a free online course on Python programming and apply the knowledge to robotics because Python can also be used in robotics programming therefore learning it will advance your knowledge of the field. Another field that will also contribute to advancing your knowledge of robotics is data science, fortunately, we have a recently published article on free online data science courses that you can take from the comfort of your home.
What is Robotics?
Robotics combines mechanical and electrical engineering with computer science to design, develop, and operate robots, or autonomous intelligent machines, in order to replicate human effort and assist humans in different ways which is the major aim of creating them.
You can learn robotics online and become an expert in robotics in no time with the free online robotics course for beginners I have curated below. These courses will equip you with the knowledge, and hands-on skills, and prepare you for a successful career in robotics. The field of robotics is in high demand, and becoming an expert in robotics will also put you among professionals that are in demand, this means that you will earn a high income, have a chance to become influential, and enjoy a successful career.
Without any further ado, let’s dive into the main topic…
Free Online Robotics Course for Beginners
Here are the free robotics courses online for beginners:
- Fundamentals in Cognitive Robotics
- Robotic Process Automation
- Fun with Beginner LEGO MindStorms EV3 Robotics
- EV3 Basic: Getting Started
- Mechanisms and Motion – Robotics Focus
- Introduction to Robotics & Autonomous Car Design
- Intro to Arduino Interfacing
- Introduction to Mechatronics
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Business
- Diploma in the Foundations of Cognitive Robotics
- Introduction to Robotic Programming
- Autonomous Mobile Robots
- Robot Development
- Robotics and AI
- Bobsweep Robot Repair
1. Fundamentals in Cognitive Robotics
As a beginner, with absolutely no knowledge of robotics, I urge you to start your journey in robotics with the Fundamentals in Cognitive Robotics online course. Enrolling in this course will help you understand the need for robots in our society, how robots are built, and gain insight into a bit of neuroscience – the human brain dubbed “the most complex system in the world”.
The course takes about 5-6 hours of learning to complete. It has CPD accreditation and offers a free certificate when you complete the course and get an average score of 80% on the assessment. At the end of the course, you will gain skills and knowledge in AI, robotics, neuroscience, and STEM.
2. Robotic Process Automation
If you are already a developer or you already have basic knowledge of building robots but want to enhance that knowledge, you should. Then you should enroll in the Robotic Process Automation course to learn how robotic process automation (RPA) creates softer robots that can help you perform routine processes.
The course is a broad one, consisting of 11 modules that take up to 10 hours to complete. But the amazing thing is that the course begins from scratch and gradually dives deep. If you do not understand a topic, you can always go back and read the materials or re-watch the lessons.
3. Fun with Beginner LEGO MindStorms EV3 Robotics
Would you like to build your actual robot? Don’t worry about your level of experience, just answer the question. If your answer is yes then you are in for an exciting ride because in this free online robotics course for beginners, you will learn how to build your robot from scratch, and you could build more than one. Exciting, right?
You will not just build a dud robot but one that you will teach it what you want it to do. The programming language for making this possible is EV3-G, and of course, you will learn it in this course. To take this course, you must have access to either the Education or Home version of the Lego MindStorms EV3 set.
4. EV3 Basic: Getting Started
EV3 is a programming language in robotics and you will come across it in the course above but this course right here explains the programming language better for you to understand since it is fully focused on EV3. You will learn to program the Lego EV3 robot with a text-based programming language.
5. Mechanisms and Motion – Robotics Focus
Still, in the spirit of building your robot dive into this course and gain a deeper understanding of how mechanisms work and relate to machine and robot design. This course is best for beginners of robotics who love to work with their hands. The lesson is a 5-hour and 12-minute tutorial video, it is self-paced and does not offer a certificate of completion.
6. Introduction to Robotics & Autonomous Car Design
If you read my definition of robotics above, you will also see where I mentioned that robotics also involves the design of autonomous machines. Well, this course kind of leans towards that aspect and it is practical-based so prepare to get your hands dirty.
You will build an autonomous car, learn the basics of robotics & engineering, and learn the basics of circuit design. The course is a short video of 45 minutes, so you can complete it faster and dive to the next phase in strengthening your skills.
7. Intro to Arduino Interfacing
You will continue to design and build your robot as you explore the exciting world of Arduino Microcontroller platform, sensors, actuators, and interfacing a joystick, servo, soil humidity sensor, water depth sensor, temperature sensor, ultrasonic range finder, photoresistor, and capacitive touch sensor. Basic knowledge of computers is required to take this course.
8. Introduction to Mechatronics
Mechatronics combines the principles of mechanics, electrical, electronics, and computing to generate a simpler, more economical, and reliable system. Knowledge of mechatronics is necessary or required to pursue a career in robotics and that is why this course – Introduction to Mechatronics – is listed among the free online robotic courses for beginners.
The course also discusses important topics in programming, AI, machine learning, and business development. Prior knowledge is not required to enroll.
9. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Business
As you are pursuing a career in robotics and learning all about robotics, you may also want to consider learning AI and ML as they are fields that are closely related to robotics. Therefore, knowledge of both fields combined with your knowledge of robotics will enhance your overall knowledge.
10. Diploma in the Foundations of Cognitive Robotics
The kind of robots that are manufactured today are those that are designed to understand the human mind and needs. This course explores such kind of robots, commonly referred to as Cognitive Robots, and their importance to humans. At the end of this course, you will gain in-depth knowledge in ML, STEM, AI, neuroscience, engineering, and physics.
11. Introduction to Robotic Programming
Robots require programs to function or rather, programs make robots function. So if you are going to become a robotics engineer, you must learn how to use and apply the various robot codes. After building your robots using the previous courses, you can hop on this one to learn other robotic programming to grow your skills in automation and robotic fabrication.
12. Autonomous Mobile Robots
The course, Autonomous Mobile Robots, is one of the best free online robotics courses for beginners offered on edX by ETH Zurich, one of the best universities in Switzerland. In this course, learners explore the basic concepts and algorithms for locomotion, perception, and intelligent navigation to build their robots.
13. Robot Development
There are other courses here that will guide you through building your robot but it is important to learn more than one way and how to build different kinds of robots. This shows your expertise and equips you with an in-depth knowledge of robotics.
In this course, you will learn how to develop a cognitive robot that will be capable of performing intrinsic motivation, motor and perceptual learning, social interaction, and language learning.
14. Robotics and AI
In this single course, you will learn both robotics and artificial learning and earn a free certification when you complete the course. Knowledge in both fields will better develop you as a robotics engineer as both fields of learning go hand in hand. The course delves further into control systems and algorithms, robot programming languages, AI and ML basics, neural networks, and AI algorithms in robotics.
15. Bobsweep Robot Repair
If you own a Bobsweep in your home or office and it happens to get faulty, save yourself the stress of looking for where to get it fixed and also save your money by enrolling in this course to learn step by step guide to fix your Bobsweep and get it working as quickly as possible. With the aid of this course, you will even learn how to replace parts of your Bobsweep that are broken or damaged.
Conclusion
Here are 15 free online robotic courses for beginners that you can take from the comfort of your home or wherever is convenient enough for you to learn. Note that the courses here are foundational and completing them does not make you an expert robotics engineer. These courses aim to introduce you to robotics and help you find your feet to take on tougher topics.
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