Lund University has partnered robotics firm Cognibotics to launch a free online course on modern motion programming, aiming to make industrial-grade robot programming accessible to learners worldwide.
The course, titled The Juliet Language for Motion Programming, is offered as a community impact programme on Coursera and is available at no cost to anyone with a computer and a registered account. It focuses on teaching how robots are programmed to move safely and predictably in real industrial environments.
Addressing barriers in robot programming education
As automation and robotics become more widely adopted across manufacturing, logistics and warehousing, demand is rising for engineers and developers with motion programming skills. However, Lund University and Cognibotics said current learning pathways remain difficult for newcomers.
Many industrial robot languages were developed decades ago, limiting compatibility with modern software tools. In addition, major robotics vendors often rely on proprietary systems that are incompatible with one another and costly to access, creating high entry barriers for students, hobbyists and independent developers.
As a result, learners frequently turn to free, modern software platforms but lack the foundational knowledge required to program robot motion safely and in line with industrial standards.
“Today, working with robots often demands a rare mix of control theory, software engineering, and domain expertise,” said Fredrik Malmgren, chief executive of Cognibotics. “This course helps close the skills gap by making industrial-grade motion programming accessible to many more students and engineers.”
Teaching industrial-grade tools and workflows
At the centre of the course is Juliet, a new robot programming language developed by Cognibotics together with Estun Automation. Inspired by the Julia programming language, Juliet is designed to combine modern software practices with established industrial requirements.
Juliet works alongside Romeo, a real-time runtime system that executes motion code while meeting industry expectations for robustness, predictability and user interaction. Together, the two technologies are already being used in demanding warehouse and automation environments, according to Cognibotics.
The course introduces learners to motion programming theory and shows how those principles are implemented in Juliet and Romeo. It is taught by Amina Gojak, Philip Olhager, Klas Nilsson and Sandra Collin, who collectively bring academic, industrial and software engineering experience.
“For the university, it’s important that students don’t just learn robotics in theory, but also see how modern tools are used in real industrial systems,” said Klas Nilsson, chief technology officer at Cognibotics and a senior lecturer at Lund University.
Universities and technology firms are increasingly turning to open and online education to address global shortages of robotics and automation talent, particularly in Asia’s manufacturing and logistics sectors.
Lund University and Cognibotics said the next phase of the course will include an additional module focused on artificial intelligence. The planned AI component will teach learners how to use Juliet and Romeo for so-called Physical AI applications, where software intelligence is tightly integrated with robotic motion.
The course is open to beginners as well as experienced engineers seeking to deepen their understanding of modern robot programming, with no specialised hardware required.
