What kind of carreers or undergrad degrees would be suitable for robotics?

[izaktj]

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.

[pomprocker]

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

[izaktj]

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.

[pomprocker]

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.

[izaktj]

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

[Webbot]

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  ) - 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!

[SciTech02]

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.

[izaktj]

Nice  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?

[izaktj]

Bumpity bump 

[Admin]

Try building a robot arm by guessing required motor torque and you'll see why mechanical engineering is more important than you think

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

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

[izaktj]

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.