Robotics Foundation
This course builds your foundation in robotics and helps explore the opportunities in stem.
About This Course
This course doesn’t teach students to follow instructions — it teaches them to think like engineers.
From day one, students move beyond theory and build real, working robotic systems using Arduino, sensors, motors, and logic. Every concept is immediately applied through hands-on projects, ensuring students don’t just “learn robotics” — they experience engineering in action.
By the end of the course, students have built three complete robotic systems, gaining confidence, technical skills, and problem-solving ability. This will lay the foundation for future changemakers of our nation.
What You'll Get
Course Curriculum
Engineering Mindset, Electronics & Arduino Basics Concepts
Module Overview - Open to All
Concepts: What engineers actually do (Problem solving vs. just building) STEM vs. Engineering: The bridge between science and reality Engineering ethics & lab safety (The "Don't burn the lab down" talk) What is a microcontroller? (The brain of the operation) Arduino ecosystem: Why we use it Introduction to the Breadboard: How internal rails work Digital vs. Analog: The language of "On/Off" vs. "How much?" Hands-on: Hardware scavenger hunt: Identify components in the kit The "Human Breadboard" exercise: Mapping connections Arduino IDE setup & Driver installation First Program: The "Hello World" of hardware (LED Blink)
Live Classes (1)
First Session on Robotics
Power Dynamics & Thermal Sensing
Module Overview - Open to All
Concepts: Electricity 101: Voltage (Pressure), Current (Flow), and Resistance (Pipe size) Ohm’s Law in action (Visualized, not just math) The Component Library: Diodes, Zener diodes, Fuses, and Circuit breakers The Multimeter: How to "see" electricity Heat-dependent resistors: Thermistors and Fire safety logic AC vs. DC: Why your wall outlet is different from your battery Hands-on: Measuring battery voltage and resistor values with a Multimeter Building a basic circuit with a switch and a potentiometer (Dimming an LED) Project: "The Fire Guard"—Creating a fire detection alarm using a Thermistor and a Buzzer
The Magic of Motors & Magnetic Force Concepts
Module Overview - Open to All
Concepts: Electromagnetism: How a Dynamo and Generator work DC Motor basics: Brushes, Commutators, and Magnets Advanced Motion: Stepper motors (precision) vs. Brushless (speed) vs. Coreless (drones) Electronic Speed Controllers (ESC): The translator for BLDC motors Capacitors and Transistors: The "batteries" and "switches" of the micro-world Hands-on: Building a "Simple Motor": Copper wire, magnet, and a AA battery Testing different motor types: Observing the torque of a Stepper vs. a DC motor Project: Creating a DIY Hand-cranked Generator to power a single LED
Logic, Loops & Ultrasonic Vision
Module Overview - Open to All
Concepts: Programming Architecture: Setup vs. Loop Variables and Data Types: Storing "Memories" in code The Serial Monitor: How the Arduino talks back to you How Sonar works: Calculating distance using the speed of sound ($v = \frac{d}{t}$) Hands-on: Writing "If/Else" logic to control hardware Serial debugging: Printing "Distance is: X cm" Project: "The Social Distancing Robot"—An alarm that triggers when someone gets too close using the HC-SR04 Sonar sensor
Precision Actuators & Environmental Safety
Module Overview - Open to All
Concepts Servos vs. DC Motors: Why 0–180 degrees matters PWM (Pulse Width Modulation): Faking analog with digital signals Chemical Sensing: How Gas Sensors (MQ series) detect molecules Safety Systems: Why we need gas detection in homes and factories Hands-on Sweep: Making a Servo move smoothly with code Calibrating a Gas Sensor: Finding the "baseline" of clean air Project: "The Smart Vent"—A servo-controlled flap that opens automatically when the Gas Sensor detects smoke or CO2
Mobile Robotics & Wireless Control
Module Overview - Open to All
Concepts: Differential Drive: How 2-wheeled robots turn Motor Drivers (L298N/L293D): Why the Arduino can't power motors directly Bluetooth Communication (HC-05/06): Sending commands from a phone Robot Sports: Mechanics of a "Kicker" for soccer robots Hands-on: Wiring the Motor Driver to the Chassis Pairing the Bluetooth module with a smartphone app Project: "The Pitch Invader"—Building and driving a Bluetooth-controlled Soccer Robot to score a goal
Autonomous Navigation: The Line Follower (LFR)
Module Overview - Open to All
Concepts: IR (Infrared) Sensors: Reflection and Absorption (Black vs. White) The Logic of Autonomy: "If I see black on the left, turn left" Sensor Arrays: Using multiple IR sensors for smoother movement PID Introduction: A brief, non-mathy look at how robots stay on track without "wobbling" Hands-on: Calibrating IR sensors for different lighting conditions Writing the "Decision Tree" code for line following Project: "The Warehouse Navigator"—A robot that follows a complex track autonomously from start to finish
Kinematics & The 3-DOF Robotic Arm
Module Overview - Open to All
Concepts: Degrees of Freedom (DOF): Understanding X, Y, and Z axes Mechanical Advantage: Levers and Linkages The concept of an "End Effector" (Gripper) Course Wrap-up: Future of STEM and Engineering careers Hands-on: Assembling the 3-DOF structure (Joints and Servos) Mapping multiple potentiometers to control each joint (Manual Puppeteering) Final Challenge: "The Precision Pick"—Using the robotic arm to pick up a small object and place it in a designated zone
Meet Your Instructor
Shagato Chowdhury
Course Instructor
A backend developer
