Twasnow

That colour made me smile.

I design and build modular robotic systems, as well as concept to completion on commercial robotic (and embedded) systems. Industrial "autonomous" automation.

I started out my career in industrial automation but was very bored with using off the shelf components doing repetitive automation, with static sensory input. I shifted in to more environment aware automation and systems designed from scratch for specific use in commercial settings , I am a huge proponent of distributed systems and processing. My primary "in field" income comes from designing automated systems with very specific "commercial" needs, as well as other custom embedded systems with manipulators. It isn't all what I would call robotics, sometimes it is more like a smart tool.

I have done a lot in AMEE systems and have a proprietary fully self contained (except charging) autonomous robotic base for use in systems requiring freedom of movement in a non uniform non stable environments. I use a localization system not unlike music identification systems.

I also have an on going project which I really can't get in to specifics but it is robotic construction equipment.

Most recently and non commercially so I can say more about it, I have been working on electronic neurons or neuron like systems of control. Essentially complex integrated feedback loops that don't require individualized tuning. When operating the system uses no traditional computation to "make decisions" and perform an action based on sensory inputs though it is no where near able to be given a "task" or sequence of commands, only react directly though complexly, to sensory input.

If you have ever seen the robotic insect like robotics with individualized leg control you will get the idea. Though I am trying to bring it much further than "instinctual reflex" and in to the realm of A.I.

To give you a sample of use, the system is being developed so that without doing any computational math watch the trajectory of an incoming object and move in to the path of the object. (or it can also be used if the system is moving towards a target.) .

Throw a ball in the air and catch it watching the ball the whole time, that is where the system is now. Next throw a ball in the air but close your eyes before it reaches the top of the arc and catch it... That is where I am trying to get too without the system doing any actual math. .

Animals don't do math when they complete tasks of this nature, and we animals do it incredibly efficiently using virtually no conscious effort and very little of our brain. In fact it is when we minimize the amount of brain power required that we complete tasks like this best.

Conscious effort often gets in the way of our best and quickest interactions with the outside world.

Okay I get pretty hyped talking about this stuff, and could go on forever.. I hope you see where I am coming from though.

Edit: I don't think I mentioned that I work in robotics.

Prep for any engineering or computer science course, yes math is most important, that is why I deleted my last comment.

What I also said is that algorithms not equations "pure math" is more important to actual robotics but that it requires very little formal mathematics background to make advancements in robotics.

What I meant by computational is computational algorithms or methods, so I think we are on the same page here. The point is it is in the realm of computer science.

I do find math and computer science to be over emphasized in academic robotics though, I think it really holds universities back in making real progress in robotics. I think it has to do with budgets and accessibility though, maybe also the academic "pure knowledge" mindset and the idea that practical application is for industry not academia, but the fact is robotics is extremely practical.

I replied before about my disagreement that math was so important for robotics, what I missed was that the question was about going to school for robotics. .

What I would recommend if you want to get in to robotics is either some sort of robotics program or electrical engineering or computer science, but NOT mechanical engineering.

The structure of any robotic system is always the easiest thing to be designed generally the least innovative, it undergos the same stresses that non-robotic devices go through. Robotics in general never break any new ground in mechanical engineering. Unless it is due to the inability of non robotic systems to do the task in the first place... (ie. Mars rover) there are some other uses of good mechanical design to make the job of the electronics and computational systems easier.

The greatest number of current advances come in computational, mainly because this is the most accessible form of robotics, and really is the overall control of any robotic system, it is the obvious choice for entry or advancement in robotics, but becomes limited by the hardware (electronics) available if trying to design a robotic system from scratch.

Electronics is extremely important after all these computer systems operate on a hardware layer of electronics, furthermore there are many sensors and signal processes that need to be there for robotics. Whole balancing systems and feedback loops can be designed purely in electronic circuits with no processing required. Allowing a mechanical system to interact with the world autonomously only requiring CPU direction for the whole systems goal. . You can think of this like the "instinct" of a robotic system. The best most reliable robotic systems in the world rely more heavily on strong electrical designs and processes.

Software can be perfect if the electronics fails at a task the system becomes useless far quicker. Wha

There is significantly more overhead required to do research or design in this aspect than computational though.