The need to attract young talent to the mobile robotics industry

In Spain, and many other parts of the world, there is a growing need for young talent in the mobile robotics sector. It is essential to inspire and motivate young people to join this field so that it can continue to grow and be supported by professionals of all ages.

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The role of entertainment in inspiring careers

We see countless TV shows aimed at young audiences about police officers, marketing professionals, doctors... But engineering—specifically robotics engineering—hasn′t been as attractive as these other professions for entertainment creators.

Mobile robotics needs Its "Top Gun" moment

After the release of Top Gun, 64% of students at the Pilot School of the University of Salamanca (Spain) said the movie motivated them to follow their dream of becoming pilots.

Imagine the impact a similar approach could have for fields like mobile robotics engineering, where talent shortages are a growing concern. By giving more visibility to these professions in movies, series, or documentaries, we could ignite curiosity and passion in future engineers, helping to close the skills gap in automation and robotics.

As another recent example, more related, the release of the animated movie The Wild Robot came as a pleasant surprise for those of us in the robotics sector. Aimed at younger audiences, the film highlights ethical dilemmas and the interaction between living beings and machines—a topic that resonates deeply with the foundational ideas of robotics.

In fact, the movie offers an opportunity to introduce the famous Three Laws of Robotics (but applied to animals instead of human beings), proposed by Isaac Asimov:

1. A robot may not harm a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey the orders given by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

These principles continue to shape our discussions about the ethics of robotics today. Films like The Wild Robot play a crucial role in sparking young people’s curiosity about technology and encouraging them to think about the societal impact of automation.

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The impact of engineering on society

And, speaking of the intersection between ethics, innovation, and robotics, Elon Musk's contributions to the field are hard to ignore.

Through companies like Tesla and SpaceX, he has shown how robotics can revolutionize industries and address global challenges—from sustainable transportation to space exploration. His work has also raised important questions about the responsible use of automation and AI, echoing some of Asimov's concerns about ensuring that technology serves humanity rather than threatening it.

The engineering field has led to incredible achievements that have undeniably changed the world. We hope that one day, we'll see stories on the big screen about mobile robotics, much like the tales of Elon Musk and other greats in the sector, that will inspire the next generation to contribute to these groundbreaking fields.

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Podcast recommendation

After detecting this lack of light in automation and the importance of encouraging young people to jump into this sector, we decided to start a new podcast, created the mobile robotics consultancy Moving Robots and the investigation centre TECNALIA, titled "Automation Is Not an Option” (in Spanish but with subtitles in English).

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What′s the first episode about? The importance of people.

Yes, we work with robots, but without the brilliant talent and dedication of the people behind them, this sector would be nothing.

I encourage you to listen to this podcast to get a deeper understanding of the state of this sector in Spain, which is also applicable to many other countries worldwide.

Listen now to episode 1:

The Impact of the people