Site upgrade: my notes, papers and tutorials are back, and so are my book recommendations

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Software, books, online teaching resources, and consulting for robotics, vision and other things.

Here are links to things I’ve created: books, software tools (including the robotics and machine vision toolboxes for Python and MATLAB®), and technical writings.

Robotics, Vision & Control: Fundamental algorithms in Python (3rd edition)

The book has been extensively revised and uses Python, rather than MATLAB, for all examples.  It builds on new Python toolbox for robotics and machine vision. All code examples can be run with zero code install using Google CoLab.

This edition includes new topics such as graph-based path planning, Dubins and Reeds-Shepp paths, branched robots, URDF models, collision checking, task-space control, deep learning for object detection and semantic segmentation, fiducial markers, and point clouds.

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Robotics, Vision & Control: Fundamental algorithms in MATLAB (3rd edition)

The book, written with colleagues Witek Jachimczyk and Remo Pillat from the MathWorks,  has been extensively revised and uses proprietary and supported MATLAB Toolboxes for all examples. All code examples can be run with zero code install using MATLAB Online.

This edition includes new topics such as graph-based path planning, Dubins and Reeds-Shepp paths, branched robots, URDF models, collision checking, task-space control, deep learning for object detection and semantic segmentation, fiducial markers, and point clouds.

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Robot Academy

The QUT Robot Academy provides free-to-use undergraduate-level learning resources for robotics and robotic vision. Although targeted at undergraduate-level around 20% of the lessons require no more than general knowledge, and the required knowledge (on a 5-point scale) is indicated for each lesson.

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Latest Posts

Prof. John H. Anderson (University of Melbourne)

Early in my academic career, John H. Anderson (JHA) was a pivotal figure who shaped my intellectual trajectory. I first took his undergraduate control systems class at the University of Melbourne, probably in 1976 — an experience that ignited my fa...

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History of the ball & beam apparatus

At a dinner during IROS2026 in Pittsburgh I was sitting next to Paul Oh and we got chatting about the famous “ball and beam apparatus” which is a staple of undergraduate control labs. In particular where it had come from.  I’d used...

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Website overhaul

It’s been a long time, but finally an update of content on the website, and a bit of change of color schemes (less orange, more blue) so that folk can tell something’s different. I’ve very belatedly added the third editions of the R...

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A wonderful early robotics reference: AIM-177

Somebody recently asked me about this Stanford AI lab technical memo which I cite in my book: Modelling, trajectory calculation and serving of a computer controlled arm. Richard Paul November 1972 It’s hard to get hold of, but I did get my hand...

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Future of the Robotics Toolbox for MATLAB

Key points The Robotics Toolbox for MATLAB®, Machine Vision Toolbox for MATLAB and Spatial Math Toolbox for MATLAB will reach end of life in January 2022.  The source code will remain open and free (as in speech), just no longer maintained. There a...

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A Robotics Toolbox for Python

For 25 years the Robotics Toolbox for MATLAB® has been used for teaching and research worldwide. This paper describes its successor – the Robotics Toolbox for Python. More than just a port, it takes advantage of popular open-source packages and re...

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