How Do You Get Into Robotics?

Chosen Reject asks: "With Voyager I passing the 100 AU mark, and the Mars Rovers continuing to work longer than expected, there's been a lot of talk about robotics. There are cars that can park without humans, the DARPA Grand Challenge, the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Competition, and even the X-Prize. NASA has the pros, the others have all levels of amateurs, but where does a newbie go to learn about robotics? Obviously I can't start out with the next Mars Rover, but where do I go to learn how to make a simple robotic arm that can hold my can of Root Beer?"

Comments

Mindstorm

[kai.chan]

http://mindstorms.lego.com/

Re:Mindstorm

[AKAImBatman]

I don't get it. What's so funny about the parent? He's quite right, actually. A Lego Mindstorm control module gives you a programmable computer hooked up to electromechanical parts. The legos provide a rapid prototyping tool for the robot's body. So it's a "real" robot, even if the Legos limit the extent to which you can take the final product.

Seriously, this isn't rocket science. It's all about making a machine, then programming it to do something that we humans think is intelligent. (Or at least, not too stupid.) :)

Re:Mindstorm

[LordVader717]

You'd be surprised at the amount of lego used by scientists in quick setups.

There's a surprising amount of things that can be done with Mindstorms. You can even use a wide variety of alternative programming languages such as robotC or leJos a form of Java. These are just two of many different projects.

Just have a look around and you'll find lots of different pages about modding, and making custom bricks. It's much more potent than any of the "build your own robot-arm" type of kits. (which you can also do with Mindstorms)

It Depends....

[Gemini_25_RB]

on how far you really want to go into the topic. I go to a fairly reputable univ. in robotics and cs in general. In fact, I got an email from one of the faculty today asking for undergrad help on various research projects, including various ideas in robotics...most were no experience required. Just my 2c

FIRST

[Sinryc]

F.I.R.S.T. did it for me. :-) http://www.usfirst.org/

Re:FIRST

[i kan reed]

I was going to mod you up, but then I decided I really had to reply. US First showed me how my nerditcal instincts could outstrip any jock's athletic crap. A thousand chances to have fun planning, thinking and building in one year alone. It was the best possible introduction to robotics anyone of high school age could really have. If any of you are highschoolers with no robotics team, find a science/math teacher and get them to help you start one at your school.

Re:FIRST

[mdarksbane]

No mod points, or I'd put you higher.

FIRST is a great competition. And even if you can't get directly involved, some of the teams sites have a wealth of robotics information. www.chiefdelphi.com, the home of one of the original teams, has some great resources.

The competitions are also a great gathering of engineers and recruiters from the big names in engineering - Delphi, NASA, GM, Ford... there are hundreds of sponsors.

But most importantly, by volunteering, you're helping high schoolers have something nerdy that they can feel proud of.

Oddest. Question. Ever.

[AKAImBatman]

1. Go to Radio Shack and pick up a Robotics kit.
2. There is no step 2, you've started.

Maybe check Amazon for some highly rated books, play with some Lego Mindstorms, etc. It's really not all that hard. A robot is just a machine that follows pre-programmed commands. It circuitry is capable of controlling a set of electromechanical parts (like a stepper motor), so the rest is up to software. The primary difference between a robot and say, your car, is that a robot's software makes it autonomous. Simple software just plays back commands (e.g. an assembly line) while complex software uses photoelectric sensors, touch sensors, accelerameters, etc. to determine how to interact with its environment.

If you want to make this a serious hobby, then I highly recommend getting yourself a background in computer programming, electronics engineering, and mechanical engineering. You don't need anything special. Most of the info you'd need you can get from the library.

Good luck. :)

Vex Robotics Kit

[Bones3D_mac]

The Radio Shack/FIRST Vex Robotics Starter Kit is definitely worth a look if you're serious about getting into the field. The long awaited programming module is even available now. The kit can also be upgraded with a wide array of sensors, motors and gear sets available from various dealers around the internet.

Of course, Lego Mindstorms is always good for a quick fix if you want to play around before getting too committed.

Finally, for the wannabe robot expert in all of us, you might consider trying Mind Rover: The Europa Project to create virtual autonomous robots on your computer and make them compete.

Linux Journal to the rescue!

[strredwolf]

The October 2006 issue of LJ has an article on Linux-based robotics. Grab a copy at your book megastore.

The three main things

[fce2]

You're looking at three main bits to get the whole thing up and running:

• The body - motors, gears, etc
• The electronics - basic concepts, sensors, motor drivers, and if you get into more complex stuff, computerish things like microcontrollers
• The software - basic AI

(obviously there's some overlap here)

If you have limited experience with these things, a kit from somewhere like Lego or Fischertechnik is an excellent place to start. These will take care of the hard stuff, letting you get straight in. Its also a good way to test the waters - see if you really want to get into robotics (it can become addictive and expensive very quickly).

If you want to do it yourself, I recommend these books by David Cook:

• Robot Building for Beginners
• Intermediate Robot Bulding

See also http://www.robotroom.com/

I tend not to get into the body building much, preferring off-the-shelf stuff. Basic Lego Technic sets have served me well, and I'm currently using Tamiya gearboxes and bases. I'm far more interested in the computer side, building small microcontroller-based computers and writing the software from scratch.

Couple suggestions

[NitsujTPU]

1) A book that I thought was awesome when I was in high school was "The Robot Builder's Bonanza." You can check it out. The material has held up quite solidly. You'll learn all about building robots to pick up cans of soda.
2) Hobby robot clubs. They're sprining up quite similarly to the computer clubs of old.
3) As already suggested, lots of people like mindstorms, but I've no personal experience with these.
4) Kits. You can purchase kits for a number of robots, including robot sumo competition kits.
5) Pyrobot. You might want to check it out. It's a software simulation kit (I think that it can drive some robots too) that was being pushed at AAAI-2005 for teaching robotics at the undergraduate and perhaps high school levels. It comes on a Linux LiveCD. It's mostly about writing software in python.

One thing to kick around. If a project that you want to do out of one of the older books asks for a computer... check out a less-expensive alternative. Most of these projects were written for hardware that is positively old and inexpesive by modern standards (it's been 10 years since I read The Robot Builder's Bonanza, first). If you have the cash and patience to learn about PICs, you might consider it time well spent later in life.

So, now you're looking at college perhaps? Major in computer science, mechanical engineering, or electrical engineering. Each focus on different facets that can be of use in robotics. If you're into cognitive science, psychology isn't a bad bet... I have no personal experience with that one though. I went computer science, which is also a fairly good route to cog sci if you go artificial intelligence.

The breakdown looks like this though:
Computer Science - Artificial Intelligence
Mechanical Engineering - Design & Control
Electrical Engineering - Control

If you want to go straight out into industry building robots, mechanical engineering isn't a bad bet. If you want to do research with humanoid robots and the like, computer science is your best bet. Mechanical engineering also has lots of good research in robotics, and you'll have more opportunities to fiddle with them as an undergrad. If you're in college, check out your school's Mechatronics course, they're becoming far more common.

Research will certainly require a PhD. I'm currently in a PhD program working in a robotics lab with a humanoid robot. It's very very very cool.

At any rate. If you're still in high shcool, starting out in high school isn't a bad bet, just make sure you keep up with your classes and grades. If you want to go the PhD route, the best thing to do is to go to a good undergrad school, get solid grades, and, most importantly, find a professor to do some work with... preferably research. Your letters of recommendation will make or break you for admission to a PhD program. Stay on the good side of your professors, at least three of them. Also, remember, it doesn't hurt to have a famous professor in your corner, but a professor who knows you better, but is less influential, is more helpful than a professor who is quite influential but barely knows you.

If you screw up any of the above steps, that's ok too. I definitely didn't do everything perfectly on my route here, but I still got into an exceptional school with a world-class lab and work with a professor who has made quite a name for himself.

Also, check out these cool pictures, featured in this month's issue of popular science http://www.popsci.com/popsci/technology/b671884322 63d010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html If you're the reading sort, you might also enjoy the article that it accompanies. http://www.popsci.com/popsci/technology/d6a1884322 63d010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html (It's by Ray Kurzweil)

BEAM

[Razzy]

BEAM bots are cheap, relatively easy to make, and provide a great introduction to both electronics and basic robotics. They aren't the most sophisticated bots in the world, but they are a great place to start. And, because they use analog electronics instead of microprocessors, they require no programming skills (if that matters to you).

http://www.solarbotics.net/

In the professional sense, many engineering schools have faculty specializing in robotics. They tend to dwell in CS, EE, or MechE departments. The CS deparment I got my degree in had courses in robotics and plenty of opportunities for students to work with bots.

Re:Bear in mind how little is going on commerciall

[Gridpoet]

I have to slightly disagree with your statements... While i do conceed that the overall manufacturing levels in the US are declining, the amount of manufacturing done by automation is rapidly expanding. I currently work as a robotic technician for a small ohio shop...in the past 3 years we have doubled our robotics count. nearly all of the shops i have contact with in the area are undergoing a similiar renisaince.

Industrial automation is becoming so inexpensive that its a no brainer... as small shops like ours strugle to keep up with super cheap chinese labor they are finding that the only viable solution is to remove the labor.

With vision systems becoming fully integratible with nearly all the robotics packages out of the box and with more and more of the robotics manufacturing supporting PC based controls, the apex of human replacement in manufacturing is drawing ever near. At 32, i fully expect to see industrial robotics with full bin-picking abilities and teach-by-demonstraion capacities in my lifetime...
when this happens the only jobs in manufacturing will be as robotics technicians... i would say now is the time to get in on the ground floor :P