From Kinematics to Motion: Hands-On Robotics with reBot Arm

From Kinematics to Motion: Hands-On Robotics with reBot Arm

Learn the fundamentals of robot-arm kinematics, simulate motion with Pinocchio and MeshCat, and put your work to the test on a real reBot Arm.

How does a robotic arm know where its gripper is? How can we calculate where it will move—or determine the joint angles needed to reach a target?

Join OpenELAB for a four-hour, hands-on robotics workshop that connects the theory of robot kinematics with 3D simulation and real hardware.

What to Expect
The workshop is divided into two parts:

Part 1: Understanding Robot Kinematics
We will begin with the foundations behind robotic-arm motion, including:

• Coordinate frames, joints, and transformations
• How joint angles determine the position and orientation of an end effector
• Forward kinematics: calculating where the robot will move
• Inverse kinematics: finding the joint configuration needed to reach a target pose

The goal is to build an intuitive understanding of the mathematics that makes robot motion possible.

Part 2: Simulation and Hands-On Testing
Next, we will put those concepts into practice using:

• Pinocchio, an open-source framework for robot kinematics and dynamics
• MeshCat, a browser-based tool for interactive 3D visualization
• reBot Arm, a physical robotic arm for testing the concepts on real hardware

Participants will explore robot poses and movement in simulation, visualize the results in MeshCat, and see how the same ideas translate from a digital model to a real robot arm.

Who Should Join?
This workshop is designed for:

• Robotics engineers and developers
• Students and researchers
• Python and open-source software enthusiasts
• Makers and hardware builders
• People exploring robot manipulation, embodied AI, or automation
• Anyone curious about how robotic arms are modeled and controlled

Whether you are encountering Pinocchio and MeshCat for the first time or want more practical experience connecting simulation with hardware, this workshop offers an opportunity to learn, experiment, and exchange ideas with other robotics builders.

Event Details
Date: Saturday, 29 August 2026
Time: 14:00–18:00
Location: OpenELAB Office
Address: Parkring 5, 3. OG., 85748 Garching b. München

Registration
Places can be requested through the registration form:
[https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeogjApbuX1zpzXIzSo9sGQq-TuPAv9RteD-VGopw0Pe6QI6A/viewform]

Come ready to learn, experiment, ask questions, and turn robot-motion theory into something you can see—and test on a real robotic arm.

Project guide:
https://wiki.seeedstudio.com/rebot_arm_b601_rs_pinocchio_meshcat/