How do you find mentors and peers in robotics?

You definitely need to surround yourself and interact with as many people i.e. join smaller groups of people interested in specifically robotics in agriculture or humanoids or robots in cooking. Once you are on the platform, you should - find good professors, read research papers of fellow students, watch robot videos from various sectors, join robotic clubs pages and attend as many meetups on various topics, try to find & attend physical conferences (nothing beats in-person networking. It's the most quality way of finding mentors, teams and sales lead), find & complete online mini-courses, and so much more. It helps understand other people's perspective on robots, which further aids in building & marketing better products and services.

Dear Supriya,we have 5 streams of Engineering ie BTech CSE,BTech AI,ML,AI,DS,Industrial IOT and VLSI .Can we collaborate with your organisation to make students Industry ready.The infrastructure and the faculty are just the state of art.With regards

Online Webinars and learning modules on demand are helpful to gain industry prospects on robotics. Online webinar allows you to connect with experts and ask specific questions. LinkedIn is also a great tool to echo and promote sessions, article and keynotes for different audience. It’s a continuous cross functional collaboration between product Marketing and Competency Team.

I absolutely agree with you on this, we at @National Space Society - Mumbai Chapter have been actively using online platforms to promote space and STEM education. We share updates via, podcasts, and newsletters, and connect with professionals on LinkedIn. Additionally, we host webinars and workshops fostering a community dedicated to space and STEM learning.

Join online robotics communities and forums such as Reddit's r/robotics, RobotShop Community, or the ROS (Robot Operating System) Community. Engage in discussions, ask questions, and network with fellow robotics enthusiasts. Follow robotics-related accounts and groups on platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Engage in conversations and reach out to individuals who share your interests.

Competitions are a great way to learn more about robotics and understand the breadth of robotic solutions. You can spend the year really diving into a solution, evaluating your knowledge and resources. Constructing and testing (and testing again and again) and refining your robotic system. Then arrive at the contest and be surprised and exposed to to your adversaries solutions. Go talk and interact with the other teams, learn understand and appreciate how they developed their robotic systems. Its a great opportunity to make connections with peers and others who are as passionate about the topic as you are.

Robotics competitions are the best way to get your first introduction to this technology called 'a robot'. Everyone around you is in the similar exploration phase, and you learn together with your peers without being conscious of being 'new' to this field. *BTW, robotics is in a phase which is new to everyone, kinda always!! It will also make you meet people from all levels - students, parents, teachers, hobbyists, company professionals & more, as everyone's involved in various capacities in hosting the competition. Along with education in tech & management - More importantly, it will help you understand and manage Money Finances - buying both hardware-software robot parts, travel stay & food expenses, negotiating with the sponsors & more

Participate as a volunteer or mentor in robotics competitions like FIRST Robotics, VEX Robotics, or RoboCup. These events are great for networking and learning from experienced mentors.

It's essential to narrow down your robotics interests, whether by type of robots like manipulator arms, mobile robots, or UAVs, or by applications such as medical or agriculture. Engaging in competitions and events can help you discover your passion. This will boost your chances of securing volunteer or internship opportunities by demonstrating genuine interest. Many of my robotics friends have forged lasting mentor relationships through internships. An internship will yield skills and insights, helping you identify your preferences and dislikes. This aids in shaping your desired full-time career in the growing commercial field of robotics, spanning roles in development, business, marketing, and more.

Robotics is a relatively new field and there are few startups globally who are developing real world applications. The best way to gain exposure is to work with these startups as an intern/employee. One can get to learn a lot while working with Startups. But it’s also critical to identify the right domain within robotics (eg. food/medical/logistics etc.) that matches with your area of passion.

if you're a student or researcher, consider applying for internships or research positions at universities or companies involved in robotics. This can provide you with mentorship opportunities and connections in the industry.

International journals such as Robotica is always looking for people to review the articles. You can also try to write a book as an aditor.

It's easy to figure out what you do not like. It's much more difficult to find what you actually like. This is why engaging in topic and building experience is so critical. Internships, clubs, or hobbies, they all serve the purpose of providing a safe space to advance your knowledge and discover your passions for the topic.

Some other automation trade shows to consider: Automate (Chicago and Detroit), ATX Automation, IMTS, The Assembly Show, and FabTech. There are many niche industries such as packaging, material handling, welding, battery manufacturing that use a lot of robots and thus the OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and there are many smaller manufacturing shows, most will have robotics and automation featured in their booths.

Maker spaces and hackathons often attract robotics enthusiasts. Participating in these events can help you connect with people who share your passion. Start or join robotics projects, either at your educational institution, within a club or organization, or online. Collaborating on projects allows you to work closely with others and learn from each other

Have a balanced approach to conferences, trade shows, symposium, and workshops. Trade shows are great to see a lot of the physical technology. The issue with trade shows is that you will start seeing the same things over and over again. This is why many people limit themselves to about three tradeshows with at least one of them being sector specific. Trade shows are very much SALES events. Conferences, Symposiums, and Workshops offer the ability to take in numerous speakers and network with others in the room to discuss the topics. These types of events with be more KNOWLEDGE events that allow you to learn about more than just the tech itself. Find a good balance where you are learning from a wide array of diverse voices.

Use LinkedIn to search for professionals in the robotics field. Send connection requests and personalized messages explaining your interest in robotics and your desire to learn from them. Some universities, organizations, and companies offer mentorship programs for students and aspiring roboticists. Explore these opportunities to find a mentor who can guide you.

The robotics industry is very busy. An excellent way to reach out to robot industry professionals is to connect with people who teach robotics. A community college or University is a great conduit to connect up with people who know a lot of people in the industry and often will have a robotics lab. Consider taking a course, touring the college (or lab) and reaching out to professors who are close to the industry.

Partners can play a key role in Robotics - vision, EOAT, guarding, sensing are all technologies that define a robotic cell. Reach out to them and ask specific questions about the workflow and the user experience coming from their technology. The key takeaway is the value of the integration.

To keep building your own personal robotics education, you are going to need to put yourself out there. Attending events such as trade shows and conferences are great, but you need to balance them out. The Law of Diminishing Returns is a real factor. Going to numerous events that show the same thing with the same people and the only thing that changed was the venue can lead to lower growth. Go to events and conferences that have a different take on the use of robotics. Mix it up and attend events that are in other areas of robotics, you may find a solution that was figured out by another industry. If you are an industry person, go to heavy academic events. If you are in academia, go to events that are heavy on the industry side. GROW!