Hey everyone!

For someone looking to learn Python from absolute zero, what courses would you recommend?

The goal is to eventually use Python for robotics, automation, computer vision, and related fields, so I’d like to know which courses build a strong foundation that can be applied to these areas later on.

My initial suggestion would probably be CS50’s Introduction to Programming with Python (CS50P) or Python for Everybody by the University of Michigan, but I’m curious to hear what others think.
Are there any better alternatives, paid or free?

Would you recommend completing a general Python course first and then moving on to robotics specific programming, or starting with a robotics focused course from the beginning?

I’d love to hear suggestions from people who have actually taken these courses or used Python in robotics.

Thanks!

Thought this was a pretty interesting approach to robotics. It’s called ALBATROSS, and the idea is to drop it from an aircraft, let it autorotate down like a maple seed, and then have it sail around using wind once it lands on water.

What’s interesting is that it doesn’t need a propulsion motor for either part. Instead of adding more motors and mechanisms, the design relies heavily on aerodynamics and passive mechanics.

Apparently, one of the bigger challenges is getting the same structure to work in two completely different environments.

I wonder how well something like this would scale up, especially for ocean monitoring. Seems like a clever way to deploy a bunch of robots without having to worry as much about battery life.

[Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8CUrj0ydxI)

Paper in [Science Robotics](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.aed1423)

Curious what you guys think. Is this actually a practical approach, or one of those things that’s really cool academically but difficult to use in the real world?

I work on the used industrial robot supply side, and I’d like to hear more from people who’ve actually bought their first robot for a small shop.

Say you run a metalworking shop, orders are picking up, and you’re considering a used robot for a repetitive task. The purchase price looks manageable—but you’ve never integrated one before.

For those who’ve been through this:

• What caught you off guard after buying it?
• Which costs did you underestimate—tooling, guarding, programming, installation, or something else?
• What should you have checked or asked the seller before paying?

I’m especially interested in shops without an in-house robotics engineer. Did buying used still make sense once everything was running, or would you approach it differently now?

I know the answer depends on the application, so please mention what you were automating if you’re comfortable sharing.

What’s the one thing you’d tell a first-time buyer before they commit?

Currently, I've come across 4 Hoverboard wheel motors. I'm in the planning stages right now for a project that I call "The Indy-Cart"! I'm trying to figure out how to develop a control box to manage acceleration and turning, that will fit on a shopping cart. Any recommendations?

ok so genuine question. ive been using claude code / cursor for software stuff for a while and its kinda crazy how much i can ship without being a “real” dev. now i want to try hardware, like small robots, sensors, maybe something with an esp32 to start

problem is i never studied any of this. no EE degree, never designed a pcb, i know what a resistor is and thats about it lol

so im curious, is anyone here already doing hardware mostly with AI? like letting it pick the parts, write the firmware, maybe even help with the pcb or the case? what tools are you using for it and does it actually work or does it fall apart once real wires and voltages are involved

also be honest, is it realistic to get into this without the background or am i gonna fry a bunch of boards and give up. id rather start now and learn by breaking stuff than wait a year doing courses first

any tips where to start would be apreciated, or projects that are good for a first build