Module 1: Robotic Nervous System

Introduction

Welcome to Module 1, where you will build the foundation of your journey into Physical AI. This module focuses on the Robotic Nervous System (RNS)—the architecture that connects a robot's brain (AI) to its body (Actuators) through its senses (Sensors).

We will primarily focus on ROS 2 (Robot Operating System 2), the industry-standard middleware that powers everything from Roomba vacuum cleaners to NASA's Mars rovers.

Module Curriculum

In this module, you will master the following relationships:

• Robots are not just code: They are physical systems with mass, inertia, and constraints.
• Sensors are the eyes and ears: How to process data from LIDAR, Cameras, and IMUs.
• ROS 2 is the glue: How Nodes, Topics, and Services enable distributed computing.

Topics Covered

1. Introduction to Physical AI

   • Embodied Intelligence
   • The Sense-Think-Act Loop
   • Physical vs. Digital AI

2. ROS 2 Fundamentals

   • The Node Graph Architecture
   • Publish / Subscribe Communication
   • Creating Packages and Nodes
   • Quality of Service (QoS) and Real-time constraints

Prerequisites

• Python: Basic understanding of functions and classes.
• Terminal: Comfort with command-line interfaces.
• OS: Ubuntu Linux (recommended) or a robust VM/Container setup.

Getting Started

Ready to give your AI a body?

Start: Introduction to Physical AI →