Module 4: Vision-Language-Action (VLA)
Focus: The convergence of LLMs and Robotics Duration: Weeks 11-13 (3 weeks) Hardware Tier: Tier 2-4
This module is currently in outline form. Full content will be available in a future update.
Module Overview
This is where everything comes together. Vision-Language-Action (VLA) models represent the cutting edge of robotics: robots that can see, understand natural language, and act in the physical world.
Tell your robot "Clean the room" and watch it plan a path, navigate obstacles, identify objects, and manipulate them - all from a single voice command.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Integrate OpenAI Whisper for voice-to-text commands
- Design cognitive planning systems using LLMs
- Build multi-modal interaction (speech, gesture, vision)
- Create action sequences from natural language
- Complete the Autonomous Humanoid capstone project
Prerequisites
- Modules 1-3 completed
- Understanding of LLMs and prompt engineering
- Python async programming
Hardware Requirements
| Tier | Equipment | What You Can Do |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 2 | RTX GPU | Full VLA pipeline in simulation |
| Tier 3 | Jetson + Sensors | Real-world voice commands |
| Tier 4 | Physical Robot | Complete autonomous humanoid |
Chapters
Chapter 1: Humanoid Robot Development
Weeks 11-12 • 4 Lessons
Kinematics, locomotion, and manipulation for humanoid robots.
Chapter 2: Conversational Robotics
Week 13 • 4 Lessons
Voice-to-action, speech recognition, and cognitive planning with LLMs.
Chapter 3: Capstone Project
Final Week • 3 Lessons
The Autonomous Humanoid - your culminating project.
Capstone Project: The Autonomous Humanoid
Build a simulated humanoid robot that:
- Receives a voice command ("Pick up the red cup")
- Plans a sequence of actions using an LLM
- Navigates to the target location avoiding obstacles
- Identifies the target object using computer vision
- Manipulates the object (grasping, moving)
- Reports completion back to the user
This is Physical AI in action - the future of human-robot collaboration.