Who it is for
Students, educators, owners, and industry teams that need a practical path from first hardware exposure into systems that can be evaluated, integrated, and maintained.
SVRC Robotics Academy
This is the curriculum hub for the Academy. Start here when you want one clear answer to three questions: what should I learn first, which path fits my role, and where should I go when I need deeper hardware, software, or deployment help.
The stack — build in order
A
Hardware
Start with motion you can see: arms, hands, teleop, and bench workflows.
B
Software
Drivers, ROS 2 assumptions, data loops, and control interfaces.
C
Design & integration
Loads, packaging, specs, and the constraints that shape deployable systems.
D
Industry
Applications, pilot framing, and why real deployments are not just demos.
E
Operations
Care, maintenance, serviceability, and how to keep systems running.
What this page is: the canonical curriculum map for SVRC Robotics Academy, showing the full order of modules and the role-specific entry points that sit on top of the same stack.
How to use it
Start with the stack if you want the default sequence, or jump to a role path if you want the same Academy filtered for a specific audience.
Where to go next
Most visitors continue into a module, browse Guides for faster orientation, or open the Forum when they want public troubleshooting and build logs.
Useful links: Getting Started, Guides, Resources, Data Services, Forum questions, and Talk to SVRC.
Choose a lens
Who are you?
One curriculum, four filtered entry points. Each role page keeps the same Academy spine but changes the emphasis, pacing, and what not to rush.
Teach
Educators & schools
Clubs, classroom pacing, lab safety, and repeatable teaching flows.
Educator path → BuildStudents & builders
Starter platforms, progression, public build logs, and capstone momentum.
Builder path → ShipIndustry & labs
Pilots, integration readiness, data loops, and how to move beyond a demo.
Industry path → OwnOwners & buyers
Evaluation, care, maintenance, support workflows, and buying confidence.
Owner path →
Teaching format
How each chapter works
Each Academy page follows the same rhythm: Learn the idea, practice it on hardware or in software, then use a challenge to turn the chapter into something shareable and discussable.
Learn
Concepts, vocabulary, system context, and what can go wrong.
Practice
Guided exercises through scripts, simulation, calibration, or bench work.
Challenge
Mini-capstones, troubleshooting prompts, and public discussion in the Forum.
Each major section should leave you with a clearer next step, not just more reading.
Start with visible wins: SO-101 + hands, then add software as repeatable recipes. Full filter: Educators & schools →
Getting Started → SO-101 → OpenArm → teleop → humanoids. Full filter: Students & builders →
Software + integration + industry KPIs; add Data Services and Data Platform. Full filter: Industry & labs →
Ownership & care, Repair & Maintenance, and Forum for operations Q&A. Full filter: Owners & buyers →
Use the hub
Start here if you want the canonical order. This page is the source of truth for the curriculum, while role paths, resources, and guides act as supporting views.
Use the discussion loop
When a chapter gets practical, move into the Forum so questions, fixes, and build logs stay public and searchable.
Beyond parts
Software, design, industry & operations
These modules are the second half of the Academy. They explain why hardware skills alone do not make a robot deployable, teachable, or maintainable.
Path
Student → designer roadmap
Milestones from first arm to serious integration for motivated builders and small teams.
Open →
Software
Software stack & tools
Drivers, ROS 2, simulation, training, evaluation, and the non-optional software half of physical AI.
Open →
Design
Mechanical & system design
Loads, specs, packaging, serviceability, and how mechanical choices bind the whole robot.
Open →
Industry
Industry applications
KPIs, pilots, and how SVRC thinks about real deployments instead of just demos.
Open →
Operations
Care, maintenance & buyers
For anyone who owns or will own hardware: support, spares, repairs, and how to move into dependable operations.
Open →
Module library
Hardware modules
Use these as the concrete entry points for arms, teleop, humanoids, and the system views that tie them together.
Starter
SO-101 arm
Small serial teaching arm: servos, workspace, teach-and-repeat, and the fastest path to first motion.
Open module →
Starter
Dexterous hands
From simple grippers to multi-finger hands: grasp types, DOF, and when dexterity matters.
Open module →
Intermediate
OpenArm
Calibration, data collection, CAN context, and learning-ready manipulator workflows.
Open module →
Intermediate
Humanoid bringup
Humanoid system context, operator tooling, and how to approach more complex full-body platforms.
Open module →
Advanced
Humanoids & mobile
When to choose humanoids, how to think about constraints, and where full systems differ from arm-only work.
Open module →
Intermediate
Teleop interfaces
Quest, gloves, retargeting assumptions, and how operator tooling feeds robot learning loops.
Open module →
Intermediate
Communication & architecture
ROS 2, APIs, buses, and what it takes to make hardware work as one system.
Open module →
Advanced
Sensing & tactile systems
Touch sensing, interfaces, and the perception-rich layers that sit on top of manipulation.
Open module →
Also on SVRC: Guides · SVRC Forum · Resources · Humanoid Intelligence Hub · Research · Data Services
Recommended start: choose one role path if you want the curriculum filtered for your audience, or jump straight into SO-101 if you want the most concrete first chapter.