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External Resources

Curated external references for the robot learning curriculum.

Tag axes (one per entry): - Domain: embedded zephyr ros2 navigation llm electronics linux-rt python - Format: course paper repo video reference-manual blog-post book - Depth: quickref tutorial comprehensive deep-dive - When: before-hardware when-debugging theory-only hands-on - Level: beginner intermediate expert-only

Linking convention: study notes reference entries by anchor, e.g. [RESOURCES.md#zephyr-docs](../RESOURCES.md#zephyr-docs)


AI / LLM Engineering

mlabonne/llm-course {#llm-course}

llm transformers course jupyter comprehensive hands-on intermediate

End-to-end LLM engineering: fundamentals → fine-tuning → quantisation → RAG → inference → deployment. 50+ notebooks. Read Part 1 (The LLM Scientist) before building any agent pipeline; Part 2 (The LLM Engineer) before deploying.

microsoft/generative-ai-for-beginners {#genai-beginners}

llm course comprehensive hands-on beginner

21-lesson Microsoft course (110 k ★) covering GenAI fundamentals, prompt engineering, RAG, agents, and fine-tuning. Each lesson has a video + Python/TypeScript code samples. Read before building any LLM-powered tool or working on the AI curriculum track.


Embedded / Zephyr

Zephyr Project Documentation {#zephyr-docs}

embedded zephyr reference-manual quickref before-hardware

Authoritative. Focus on §Devicetree, §Subsystems (SPI, CAN, ZBus), and §Kernel. Not for reading cover-to-cover — use as a reference when the study notes send you here.

ARM Cortex-M4/M7 Technical Reference Manual {#arm-trm}

embedded cortex-m reference-manual deep-dive when-debugging expert-only

Canonical source for fault registers (CFSR, HFSR, MMFAR, BFAR), CCR trap bits, and pipeline behaviour. Use when 12-hardfault-decode.md doesn’t go deep enough.

Understanding the Cortex-M fault exceptions — Joseph Yiu {#cortex-m-faults}

embedded cortex-m blog-post tutorial when-debugging intermediate

Practical walkthrough of HardFault, BusFault, MemManage. Good supplement to the deep-dive notes before real hardware debugging.

m3y54m/Embedded-Engineering-Roadmap {#embedded-roadmap}

embedded roadmap comprehensive before-hardware all-levels

Visual roadmap + curated resource list for embedded engineers covering hardware, firmware, RTOS, and protocols. Use as an orientation map to see where each Zephyr/ARM topic fits in the wider embedded world before starting lab work.

gurugio/lowlevelprogramming-university {#low-level-university}

embedded linux-rt course comprehensive theory-only intermediate

Self-study curriculum covering C, assembly, Linux kernel internals, and OS design. Builds the low-level mental model needed to understand Zephyr scheduler behaviour and HAL; useful background before the kernel-internals labs.

RT-Thread/rt-thread {#rt-thread}

embedded repo comprehensive before-hardware intermediate

Mature IoT RTOS (1.2KB RAM minimum) supporting ARM Cortex-M/A, RISC-V and 200+ boards; useful for studying modular RTOS architecture and comparing scheduling/IPC patterns against Zephyr. 11.9k ★


ROS 2 / Navigation

ROS 2 Documentation (Jazzy) {#ros2-docs}

ros2 reference-manual quickref before-hardware

Official ROS 2 API and concept docs. Start with §Concepts → §Tutorials → §How-to guides. Most useful once you have a working workspace.

ros2 navigation reference-manual comprehensive before-hardware

Nav2 stack: costmaps, planners, controllers, BT navigator. Read §Concepts before touching any AMR navigation code.

AtsushiSakai/PythonRobotics {#python-robotics}

robotics navigation python repo comprehensive hands-on intermediate

Python code + textbook for robotics algorithms: EKF, Particle Filter, FastSLAM, A*, RRT, MPC, and more (29 k ★). Run the simulations to build intuition for the same algorithms used in the robot navigation stack before reading estimator source code.

MichaelGrupp/evo {#evo}

ros2 navigation python repo deep-dive when-debugging intermediate

CLI + Python library for computing APE/RPE trajectory error metrics from odometry or SLAM bag files. Use when comparing estimator branches against rosbag ground truth or validating sensor-fusion changes.

henki-robotics/robotics_essentials_ros2 {#robotics-essentials-ros2}

ros2 course comprehensive hands-on beginner

Hands-on ROS2 + Gazebo course covering SLAM, navigation, and odometry with lab exercises. Good companion or prerequisite for the robot navigation-estimator track.

fkromer/awesome-ros2 {#awesome-ros2}

ros2 repo quickref before-hardware all-levels

Curated index of ROS2 packages, tools, tutorials, and conference talks. First stop when searching for existing packages or examples before writing custom nodes.

Kiloreux/awesome-robotics {#awesome-robotics}

robotics repo quickref before-hardware all-levels

Aggregated list of robotics courses, textbooks, simulators, competitions, and software libraries (6.4 k ★). Use to map the wider robotics landscape or find learning resources beyond the robot curriculum.

mithi/robotics-coursework {#robotics-coursework}

robotics course comprehensive before-hardware intermediate

Curated list of robotics course series (Coursera, EdX, university lecture playlists) covering kinematics, dynamics, SLAM, motion planning, and computer vision. Use to find a structured study path before tackling AMR navigation theory. 4.5k ★

ai-winter/ros_motion_planning {#ros-motion-planning}

navigation cpp repo hands-on intermediate

ROS implementations of 20+ path-planning algorithms (A, JPS, D, RRT, RRT*, DWA, MPC, TEB, Pure Pursuit) with animated demos. Use to build hands-on intuition for the planners and local controllers before reading AMR navigation source. (ROS1/Noetic) 3.5k ★

cartographer-project/cartographer {#cartographer}

ros2 navigation repo deep-dive theory-only expert-only

Google’s 2D/3D SLAM via pose-graph optimization and scan matching — the theoretical reference for understanding how slam_toolbox and Nav2’s SLAM integrations work. Note: archived, no active dev. 7.8k ★


Electronics / Signals

The Art of Electronics — Horowitz & Hill {#aoe}

electronics book comprehensive theory-only intermediate

Gold standard reference. Most useful: Chapter 1 (foundations), Chapter 12 (logic families), Chapter 14 (ADC/DAC). Don’t read linearly — treat as a reference.


Linux / Real-Time

PREEMPT_RT wiki {#preempt-rt}

linux-rt reference-manual deep-dive when-debugging

RT patch internals, latency tuning, cyclictest interpretation. Use when 07-nanopb-rt-ekf.md cyclictest results look wrong.