Udacity to build KUKA Robot Learning Lab and Udacity Universe to provide students an unparalleled chance to learn in real-time

Udacity, the lifelong learning programs that equips students with in-demand skills for jobs of tomorrow, has set a new benchmark in the industry yet again. It has partnered with industry leaders to offer a unique learning experience to Udacity students. Announced during Intersect – Udacity’s annual conference on lifelong learning – the new facility will allow Udacity’s students to implement their code in a simulated and real-world testing environment. In a first for any online course, this practical, hands-on learning experience is available exclusively to students of Robotics Software Engineer Nanodegree programs, Self-Driving Car Engineer, and Flying Car Nanodegree Program.

High-end technology companies are aggressively pursuing the development of autonomous robots and driven vehicles, and are looking to actively employ candidates adept at programming these autonomous systems. However, most candidates looking to avail of these opportunities lack the experience of executing their code in practical. This unprecedented access to real-time testing is a part of Udacity’s mission to connect learning objectives to career goals.

With KUKA Robot Learning Lab located at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), students will validate in simulation, then use an exclusive web interface to put their code on a real robot in a real lab and watch the results in real time via a video feed. Udacity Universe is a virtual world where Self-Driving Car and Flying Car Nanodegree students will be able to simulate self-driving and self-flying vehicle fleets in urban and rural landscapes to tackle complex mobility challenges.

Commenting on the announcement, Ishan Gupta, Managing Director - India, Udacity India, said, “Udacity was created with the idea of closing the gaps that exist in conventional educational delivery and the skills required for the best jobs in the market. As the field of autonomous system matures, people being hired in the sector are expected to have real-world experience in programming, but access to such learning resources is highly limited. Our initiatives in Robotics Learning Lab and Udacity Universe will prepare our students with extraordinary real time experience equipping them in cutting edge skills. Our partnership with industry experts like KUKA and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology has helped us create this wonderful resource for our students.  We are extremely proud of this initiative and look forward to catering to the demand for specialized talent in the industry better through our Robotics Software Engineer, Self-driving Car Engineer, and Flying Car Nanodegree Programs.”

Udacity seeks to disrupt the educational and technology recruitment paradigm through the provision of cutting-edge lifelong learning programs. The company actively seeks to engage with stakeholders in industry and academia to create a comprehensive learning environment and ecosystem, to ensure the suitability of its graduates for the best career-enhancing opportunities. Through the real-time stimulated environment and testing environment, Udacity’s graduates in the field of autonomous systems will get access to a real-world programming experience, something no other lifelong learning program can claim.