Engineering your Future – The Roboticist

If you studied engineering, it’s very likely that one of your first assignments was to build a robot that randomly drives and turns based on varying wall signals. The reason for this is that it brings together many engineering aspects like kinematics, dynamics, control, motion planning, trajectory generation, programming and design - to name a few.

But now is the time you stop looking at these assignments as a way to integrate your engineering skills and start seeing them as a perfect way to engineer your future as a Roboticist. Because this will soon be one of the most sought-after engineering skills companies are looking for.

Budget announcements from the UK government in 2017 put robotics at the heart of the UK’s industrial strategy. Across the world, all major industrial nations are focusing on robotics. Whilst the robotic market growth continues to expand worldwide, the UK is currently trailing behind Japan, Germany, US and many other nations in the uptake of industrial robots. This starkly contrasts with the UK’s strength in the automotive and aerospace industries. Establishing a sustainable lead in robotics is an opportunity that the UK cannot afford to miss.

Roboticists know a little bit about everything (at least, everything important to robotics). They are the bridge between mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science and even psychology. But on top of that they are keen learners and are masters-of-all-trades. In order to be effective in such a diverse range of disciplines, good roboticists support their technical knowledge with various hard and soft skills like judgment and decision making and good communication skills.

So how do you become a roboticist? Here a few tips and ideas that may set you in the right direction.

Math and science skills are essential. A good grasp of algebra and geometry are essential to all of the subjects which make up robotics and having a good understanding of science is important for all branches of engineering. Physics is particularly useful because it gives grounding knowledge in energy, electrical circuits, mechanics, material science and other key topics for robotics.

Programming is very important for robotics, so subjects like Computer Science and Information Systems are a great choice. Subjects that can boost the practical side of engineering include Product Design, Graphic Communication, Technological Studies and Manufacturing.

Mechanical Engineering – "The Body" - This branch of engineering looks at the physical systems which make up a robot. Subtopics like mechanics, materials engineering and manufacturing are core to industrial robotics. Often mechanical engineering courses will have specialisation in mechatronics or robotics, but will be focused more on physical design and actuation.

 Electrical and Electronic Engineering - "The Nervous System" - This branch of engineering gives a basis in electronics, embedded systems, low-level programming and control theory. Often electrical engineering courses will also provide specialisations in robotics or automation, which will be centered around the control of robots rather than the mechanical design.

Computer Science - "The Brain" - A lot of people in research seem to enter robotics through computer science. This trend is likely to continue as standard robotic hardware platforms become the norm. Common platforms remove the research focus from the physical hardware and instead concentrate on software and high-level programming. Often courses will include robotic programming topics such as Artificial Intelligence and Software Design.

So, are you ready to jump on the robotics train? Getting hands-on experience in making your own robot by using your skills in electronics, programming and mechanics is essential. It makes the theory come to life. It also helps you find out which area of robotics you want to specialise in. Robot kits, like Lego Mindstorms, are a good place to start playing with robotics at home, as are embedded systems like Raspberry Pi. Another good way to gain experience is to enter one of the many robotics competitions, which are available for various ages and education levels.

There really are so many different ways to get started in robotics. The key thing is to become a master of all (engineering) trades and supplement your knowledge with hands-on activities and keep learning!