CSC376H5F - Fundamentals of Robotics

An introductory course to robotics for computer scientists laying the foundations for advanced robotics courses. Students learn to:

  • Identify a robot’s design and analyze its kinematic structure
  • Understand and analyze performance parameters of robots
  • Use the DH-convention to establish the forward kinematics of a serial robot
  • Establish and implement the forward and velocity kinematics using the product of exponentials formula for serial robots
  • Derive the inverse kinematics for a serial robot
  • Compute and implement robot motion
  • Describe concepts of robot control
  • Understand concept of kinematic redundancy and its implications on robot motion
  • Utilize robot simulation software (Robotics Toolbox for Python)
  • Operate and program collaborative robots (Franka Emika Panda)

Next offering: Fall 2025 (taught by Dr. Andrea Gotelli, Postdoctoral Fellow in the CRL)

CSC476H5S - Introduction to Continuum Robots

Continuum robots differ fundamentally from traditional robots, as they are jointless structures. Their appearance is evocative of animals and organs such as trunks, tongues, worms, and snakes. Composed of flexible, elastic, or soft materials, continuum robots can perform complex bending motions and appear with curvilinear shapes. Continuum robots have a high potential to navigate and operate in confined spaces currently unreachable to standard robots, as their diameter to length ratio can be as low as 1:300. Typical applications are in minimally invasive surgery or in maintenance, repair and operation. This introductory course covers the fundamentals of continuum robot design, modelling, planning, and control.

Students will engage with research papers, code continuum robots in simulation, and gain hands-on skill with Emio, a compliant and deformable robot, in the UTM Robotics Teaching Lab.

Next offering: Winter 2026 (taught by Dr. Andrea Gotelli, Postdoctoral Fellow in the CRL)