Author Topic: What kind of carreers or undergrad degrees would be suitable for robotics?  (Read 5164 times)

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Offline izaktjTopic starter

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What kind of careers would be helpful for robotics or which would be the most helpful? I'm currently looking for such programs. I think that the main subjects would be Electronics, Mechanics and Programming. However, I totally understand that a lot of it would be self-teaching.

Offline pomprocker

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i've heard that most of robotics is in the software, and being able to program microcontrollers.

building the chassis and soldering is not that tough and can be learned quickly

Offline izaktjTopic starter

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i've heard that most of robotics is in the software, and being able to program microcontrollers.

building the chassis and soldering is not that tough and can be learned quickly
I see. Cause today I wen't to Fullerton college to get info about their programs and I was confused as hell. When I left the Engineering director of the other college which I was attending, told me that the career most similar to the one I was in would be Computer science. I was in Electronic Cybernetics, which is basically electronics + programming.

Offline pomprocker

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Fullerton, CA?

CSUF?

If so, there is a robotics club that meets there. http://www.rssc.org/




I this an BSEECS degree would be suitable.



Offline izaktjTopic starter

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Fullerton, CA?

CSUF?

If so, there is a robotics club that meets there. http://www.rssc.org/




I this an BSEECS degree would be suitable.



Nice!
What is BSEECS?

EDIT: I googled it, is it Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences
« Last Edit: January 08, 2009, 06:32:45 PM by izaktj »

Offline Webbot

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Cause today I wen't to Fullerton college to get info about their programs and I was confused as hell. When I left the Engineering director of the other college which I was attending, told me that the career most similar to the one I was in would be Computer science. I was in Electronic Cybernetics, which is basically electronics + programming.

Cybernetics == good man. That's what I did (but given the amount of time spent on this site then maybe I need another life  ;D) - but that was a few decades ago.

Not sure how they 'sell' Cybernetics now - but back then it was: digital/analogue electronics, signal theory, radar, feedback control systems etc - almost like an overview of every engineering on offer. I went into it 'dreaming of robots' but came out with nightmares of 'industry and the military'. 

So I don't have too much of a problem about your career advice that the future is : Electronics + Programming. Thats why you are visiting this forum ! Yes - there is a level of mechanics required to build an advanced robot but I believe that the 'added value' is in the software person who can make it actually do something. okay dont beat me up!


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Offline SciTech02

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I 100% agree with Webbot.  I always thought of robotics as more about programming than mechanics.  I consider AI and robotics as two sides of the same coin; a non-mechanical, but autonomous AI is more "robotic" than a complex, remote-operated machine, in my opinion (some will probably disagree with me).

Anyway, some universities offer what is called a Computer Engineering B.S. Degree.  This sounds similar to a BSEECS (abstract "computer" knowledge + pragmatic engineering skills).  Good thing about all these degrees are that they're general, you could get any computer/IT/EE job with one of them or specialize afterward, etc.
Check out the Evolution Robotics, ER1 robot, and ERSP Resource Page: http://www.societyofrobots.com/member_tutorials/node/336

Offline izaktjTopic starter

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Nice  :P I think I'll choose an electronics/software program. And take some mechanics as selective classes. Have any of you guys taken "extra" classes to achieve your degree faster than in 4 years?

Offline izaktjTopic starter

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Bumpity bump  :D

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Re: What kind of carreers or undergrad degrees would be suitable for robotics?
« Reply #9 on: February 03, 2009, 02:57:06 AM »
Try building a robot arm by guessing required motor torque and you'll see why mechanical engineering is more important than you think ;D

Another example: A mechanical engineer can balance a quad-rotor through mechanical analysis and clever design - without a single line of code, PID loop, or gyro/accelerometer. Balance is a non-issue. A software guy would immediately start thinking of PID loops and inverted pendulums :P

Its the reason why I wrote these programs:
http://www.societyofrobots.com/calculator.shtml

Offline izaktjTopic starter

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Re: What kind of carreers or undergrad degrees would be suitable for robotics?
« Reply #10 on: February 10, 2009, 10:02:27 PM »
Very true Admin. BTW, I forgot to tell. I won't be attending Fullerton college but San Jacinto community college. I'll get an AS degree in Computer Science: Programming

After that I'll seek an Computer Engineering degree.
« Last Edit: February 11, 2009, 02:50:52 PM by izaktj »

 


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