Building a Future with Robots

Name: Building a Future with Robots
Rating: 4.78378 (37 reviews)

4.8 (37 reviews)

24,379 enrolled on this course

3 weeks
3 hours per week
Digital certificate when eligible
Open level

Find out more about how to join this course

Discover how robots will change every aspect of our lives in the future

“Robots and autonomous systems are set to change our lives in the not-too-distant future; from travel (self-driving cars), to work (job automation), to medicine (biomedical robots), and even domestic life (household robots).

On this course, we’ll look at current and future developments in the field of robotics. You’ll learn how robots sense the world around them, how robotics takes inspiration from nature, and how robots will work with humans.

You’ll build up a picture of the principles and the fundamental challenges of robotic design, and demonstrate how research is working to overcome these.

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Skip to 0 minutes and 9 seconds [A woman strokes toy-like robot animals] [The robot animals respond to the woman’s touch] [CAPTION:] ‘Will I help you feel better?’ [CAPTION:] ‘Will I help you learn?’ [A surgeon directs robotic arms to perform an operation] [CAPTION:] ‘Will I save your life?’

Skip to 0 minutes and 31 seconds [A technician operates a robotic arm lifting objects in a laboratory] [CAPTION:] ‘Will I work beside you?’ [CAPTION:] ‘Will I help you move things?’ [A small remote controlled drone flies inside a warehouse] [CAPTION:] ‘Will I find you if you’re lost?’ [A large number of small robot units activate and move together] [CAPTION:] ‘Will we repair the oceans?’

Skip to 0 minutes and 58 seconds [CAPTION:] ‘See what we can do…’ [CAPTION:] ‘Building a Future with Robots’ [CAPTION:] ‘A free online course from the University of Sheffield’ [CAPTION:] ‘Search ‘Future Robots’ at www.futurelearn.com. #FLRoboFuture’

What topics will you cover?

You’ll build up a picture of the principles and the fundamental challenges of robotic design and learn to demonstrate how research is working to overcome these.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

Describe the main challenges of working with autonomous systems and the ways in which we might meet these challenges.
Explore some basic principles of robotic design.
Apply knowledge of where developments in robotics are heading and their potential effect on our future.
Explain existing and potential real-life robotic applications.

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone interested in learning about the role that will be played by robots in the future.

It will be of particular interest to aspiring mechanical, automotive, and robotics engineers, product designers, technicians, and enthusiasts who are keen to explore the role of robots in our everyday, economic, and industrial futures.

What do people say about this course?

Wide in scope of applications and very thought provoking.

"Enjoyable course; wide in scope of applications and very thought provoking, particularly on ethical issues."

David Law

It introduced many of the issues surrounding robotics.

"Really enjoyed the course. It introduced many of the issues surrounding robotics, and gave an insight into research and development, and offered a taste of what is yet to come."

Simon Whitehead

Who will you learn with?

Sandor Veres

Sandor M Veres is professor of Autonomous Control Systems at the Department of Automatic Control and Systems Engineering at the University of Sheffield.

Who developed the course?

The University of Sheffield

The University of Sheffield is one of the world’s top 100 universities with a reputation for teaching and research excellence.


Ways to learn	Buy this course	Subscribe & save	Limited access
Choose the best way to learn for you!	$94/one-off payment	$19.99 For the first month. Automatically renews	Free
	Fulfill your current learning need	Develop skills to further your career	Sample the course materials
Access to this course	tick	tick	Access expires 16 Apr 2023
Access to 1,000+ courses	cross	tick	cross
Learn at your own pace	tick	tick	cross
Discuss your learning in comments	tick	tick	tick
Certificate when you're eligible	Printed and digital	Digital only	cross
	Continue & Upgrade
		Cancel for free anytime

Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$19.99

For the first month. Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

Access to this course
Access to 1,000+ courses
Learn at your own pace
Discuss your learning in comments
Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$94/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

Access to this course
Learn at your own pace
Discuss your learning in comments
Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Continue & Upgrade

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

Access expires 16 Apr 2023

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

T&Cs apply.

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

T&Cs apply.

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Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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