by Douglas Black

Created on: April 09, 2009

Do you possess a great aptitude toward mechanics and electronics? Are you interested in a career involving the development or maintenance of simple and complex robotics? If so, you will need some necessary academic accolades in order to begin a career in the advanced field of robotics.

Interestingly, not everyone in the robotics industry started out in the hallowed halls of some accredited college or training facility. Many of the most profound members of this vocation actually started out being backyard enthusiasts, tinkering and puttering away with their own home-made contraptions, slowly evolving to something right out of a sci-fi movie. These unique individuals may not possess a degree in electronics or advanced mechanics, but they probably have developed many skills through trial and error, and spending almost every waking hour building their machines.

That being said, since not everyone is fated to be a natural robot enthusiast, there still is an alternative path to take if you're really interested in a career in robotics.

-Education and Course selection-

There are many skills and proficiencies required to ensure you are the first one chosen when applying for a position with a top-notch robotic company. The most fundamental academia most employers seek is a thorough understanding of electronics, which they often look for an engineering degree. Again, experience and self-taught knowledge can sometimes supersede the need to be fully accredited, but it doesn't hurt to have the paper to back you up.

Now, simple electronics versus robotics may differ slightly, although the initial fundamental concepts are shared, which some schools now offer a new proficiency called Electromechanical Engineer that focuses more toward robotics. Either educations focus on fundamental mathematics involving, differential equations, numerical methods, advanced calculus, differential geometry, and other basic and advanced related topics.

These and like accreditation can include courses on: control circuits, industrial hydraulics, microcomputer based automation, PLC (program logic controller) applications, electro-hydraulic controls for automation and robots, mechatronics, and basic and advanced programming, and a few other related competencies, including advanced circuitry, chemistry, physics, advanced kinematics of robotic mechanisms, which relates to system theory, control sensor, dynamic collision avoidance, adaptive controls and hybrid controls. If this is beginning to sound a bit

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