​Most robotics courses are simulations dressed up as skill-building. They keep you watching, not doing. You don’t deploy code, you press “play.” You don’t train a robot, you follow a slide.
At Rose City Robotics, we created Engineer Boldly for those who are ready to break that loop — and build real autonomy from the ground up.
Real Robots. Real AI. Real Results.
Engineer Boldly: AI Robotics Sprint is a four-week, project-based deep dive into how intelligent robots see, learn, and make decisions in the real world.
You’ll work with:
- Transformer neural networks for imitation learning
- Reward-based reinforcement learning
- SLAM systems for localization
- Training data collection and validation
And you’ll do it all on an open-source mobile robot you can keep and continue to add to — no pre-baked simulation. Just open hardware, a command line, and the technical mentorship.
🔗 Register here — first 5 get $500 off
Week-by-Week Breakdown
Week 1
Vision Systems & Perception
Get hands-on with cameras, LiDAR, and sensor fusion. Learn how to extract usable data from the messy real world.
Week 2
Imitation Learning with Transformers
Train your robot by demonstration using modern architectures inspired by the same models powering ChatGPT.
Week 3
Reinforcement Learning in Simulation
Use simulation to teach robots to make decisions and optimize behavior through reward strategies.
Week 4
Capstone Project
Build and demo a custom AI behavior. Code reviewed by PhDs. Debugged in real time. Show it off to mentors and peers.
A Kit You Actually Keep
Every participant builds a mobile robot during the course and it’s yours to keep. The open-source design includes:
- Camera and sensor array
- SLAM-ready configuration
- ROS2/Linux compatibility
- Raspberry Pi + AI HAT+
- Optional add-ons for manipulator arms and additional sensors
You can follow our evolving Bill of Materials on GitHub and even contribute back improvements. We don’t believe in locked-down platforms or “proprietary hardware stacks”. We believe in giving builders real tools and supporting open source projects like the Portland Robotics Common Platform.
đź’ˇ Final kit pricing will be around $1,260.
Who This Is For
This sprint is ideal for:
- Software Engineers ready to break into robotics and machine learning
- Career changers pivoting into AI autonomy
- College students who want to go beyond lectures
- Builders who say “I could build that” and mean it
You should know your way around Python, Git, and a Linux terminal. You won’t need to solder electronics (unless you want to!) or need any special fabrication skills. You will assemble the kit, configure the motors and sensors, and learn maintenance and repair. This is real-world engineering, not a simulation.
Our Philosophy: Open Tools, Open Startup, Real Impact
We believe robotics education should be rigorous, transparent, and accessible. That’s why we run Rose City Robotics as an open startup, publish our hardware kits and build documentation on GitHub, and structure our projects around open workflows from day one.
With our open source hardware platforms anyone can access, build, and expand upon their mobile robot. In our AI Robotics Sprint course, we only charge for parts, shipping, and a minimal fee for soldered components. Students can lower their costs by sourcing or 3D printing components themselves, and we offer financial aid to mission-driven or underrepresented learners.
Looking ahead, we’re building out remote learning options so learners everywhere can freely access the knowledge (and the tools) to build and train real robots at home, whether assembling from parts or 3D printing their own.
By enrolling in this beta cohort, you're helping us shape a better learning experience and advance our long-term mission of open, accessible robotics education. No gatekeeping. Just open engineering.
If you can’t build on it, improve it, or fork it then it’s not education. It’s entertainment. And we’re here for something more real.
Details at a Glance
- 🗓️ Starts: Monday, September 22, 2025
- 🧑‍🏫 Live sessions: Saturdays at Portland State University
- 🧠Instructors: Dr. Joseph Cole (PhD Applied Physics) and Duncan Miller (FIRST Robotics, PSU mentor)
- đź’° Tuition: $995 (or $495 for first 5)
- 🧰 Hardware Kit: ~$1,260 — build and keep
- 🎯 Seats: Only 10 per cohort
- âś… Register now
Engineer Boldly. Learn Deeply. Lead the Future.
If you're ready to stop watching and start building.
Duncan Miller
Learning and Impact
Duncan is a software engineer and FIRST Robotics coach with over 20 years of experience as an education technology founder. He earned an MBA in Entrepreneurship from Babson College and works at Portland State University as a mentor for tech startups and a judge at innovation competitions. Duncan lives on an extinct cinder cone volcano with his wife and two children in Portland Oregon. He is passionate about artificial intelligence, robotics, climate solutions, open startups and social entrepreneurship.