Teaching Robotics with MATLAB and Simulink

Educators use MATLAB and Simulink to design, simulate, and test robotic and autonomous systems. Educators can use MATLAB live scripts to create lectures that combine explanatory text, mathematical equations, code, and results. Live Editor tasks that can be inserted into live scripts let students perform control design tasks, such as tuning PID controllers, interactively. Learn more about available tools and algorithms for designing, simulating, and testing robotic and autonomous systems with Robotics System Toolbox.

A white paper on Teaching Robotics with MATLAB and Simulink is available to further explain how software tools can be used for lesson preparation, lesson conduction, student self-study, laboratories, and other educational activities with specific examples for robotics and autonomous systems.

Below is a sampling of course curricula, textbooks, educational videos, online labs, and additional tools for teaching robotics and autonomous systems courses with MATLAB and Simulink.

Downloadable Course Materials to Help Develop and Enhance Curriculum

• Awesome MATLAB and Simulink Robotics GitHub repository (includes many robotics demos, tutorials, and resources)
• Robotics Playground
• Applied Autonomous Robots I
• Applied Autonomous Robots II
• Control of Mobile Robotics
• Modeling, Design, and Control of Robotic Mechanisms

Interested in controls? Visit Teaching Controls with MATLAB and Simulink.

Videos

• MATLAB Tech Talks are short educational videos that explore fundamental engineering concepts. These videos can help supplement instructors’ curriculum materials.
• Autonomous Navigation
• Understanding Senor Fusion and Tracking

Virtual, Remote, and Low-Cost Hardware-Based Labs

• Robo Ninja Warrior: Integrating Math, Science and Engineering at Olin College
• Robotarium: Remote Access Robotics Lab at Georgia Tech (33:34)
• Arduino Engineering Kit
• Quanser Interactive Labs
• Virtual Control Labs (RWTH)

Auto Grading with MATLAB

• Automating Grading of Assignments in a MATLAB Programming Course (Duarte G.T. Antunes, Eindhoven University of Technology)
• Use MATLAB Grader to create interactive course assignments, automatically grade student work, and provide feedback.

Textbooks

• Robotics, Vision and Control: Fundamental Algorithms in MATLAB
• Intelligent Control of Robotic Systems
• Path Planning of Cooperative Mobile Robots Using Discrete Event Models

See more Robotics books.

Technical Articles and Customer Stories

• Teaching Robotics Control Concepts with a Robotic Arm, an Arduino Microcontroller, and Simulink
• Using MATLAB Live Scripts to Teach Optimal Control and Dynamic Programming Online
• RWTH Aachen University Prepares Students for Careers in Industry
• Engaging Students in Hands-on Control System Design at University of Arizona