Daniel
Mechanical Engineering and Robotics
I'm interested in robotics and currently studying mechanical engineering. From what I see, the new developments in robotics seem to be mainly in control. Electrical and computer science engineers seem to be using AI and improved sensors to make robot movement more precise and intelligent. What part does a mechanical engineer have in the robotics field, as it seems much of robotics is developing new algorithms for already existing mechanical robots. Do mechanical engineers in robotics only maintain the robots, or is demand for new robot designs still strong enough to warrant novel mechanical work?
How much crossover is there between the mechanical and control sides of robotics? I enjoy scripting, but not low-level optimization work required for robotics processors. How much programming and electrical engineering does a roboticist/mechatronics mechanical engineer do?
#Robotics
#Mechanical Engineering
#Mechatronics
2 answers
G. Mark Stewart
G. Mark’s Answer
Universities offer courses specifically in robotics itself as an adjunct to other computer and engineering majors. Carnegie Mellon, Wayne State, University of Michigan, Berkeley and Stanford have large robotics schools and labs that are very impressive. From what I've seen, you're right. Making robots more precise in their actions is always a priority. And Artificial Intelligence is being used to augment their operations and control. I see research in various configurations of robots and different types of locomotion, flexibility, applications, etc.. But a large part is making robots fit into the human environment and learn, essentially, to work with humans without being a danger and without having to be meticulously and tediously programmed. AI, and specifically Machine Learning, and a bit of Deep Learning, are being used to create robots that can adapt to new situations and learn like people do. There are open-source applications, like, for instance, Tensor Flow, that allow anyone to get and use an ML platform to experiment with this. It is one of the very hot technologies, which also include Big Data, which enables AI and specifically ML and DL, and Internet of Things. This latter science is a big and expanding fields and, like the others, readily available to average people and very inexpensive. This sort of thing makes it a rich area for any university to make available to all of the students but also makes for a rich market for research investment. And correspondingly, a rich area for employment. This means that you're making a very wise, potentially lucrative, but more importantly an enjoyable and rewarding area to contribute innovations and Intellectual Property to help solve world problems. Go for it.
Richard Wolf
Richard’s Answer
What you will learn is just like you predicted... its all about "control" ... which breaks down to simple physics.
Well designed robotics look at the physics , mass, acceleration, drag, whatever and "transforms" ( study your calculus!) them into time dependent element, Specifically how much "gain" is needed to counter or change the dynamics... proportionally, integrally, and differential. (a "PID SERVO" ).. and yes the sensors provide the "feedback" that closes the "loop" needed to control the mechanics. Its simple f=mA + cV + kX stuff you learned in dynamics.
OK, now your team will come to you and say.... define how that center of gravity changes when the arm extends... (for example) in terms of you PID transform! That effects the "gain" and if your doing you job, becomes a kind of "feed-forward"
an example is the moving arm of some robots effects CG (when an arm extends) or whatever and maintains position AND velocity by altering gains. SO the ME knows POSITION changes CG which changes accleration so the gain must change to keep the speed constant...the coding does that mechanical logic... see?
The point is your CONTROL system demands a ME working closely with the coding and electronics and processing...
But this is beyond just robotics... think of perhaps a nice turntable... thats not a robot... but its control system must be superb.
To be efficient you will determine timing and interrupts and bit shifting and all that so your servo is adaptable.
There is energy and "resonance" stuff so think "spring mass network" of sorts will get coded by knowing "time dependent efficiency" of your dynamics ( q factor) ... they're gonna come and ask you that stuff too.
Its all in well defined mechanics that is coded in you hipty dipty servo... thats the mechanical engineers contribution.
Hope that helps understand how your coding and control is a critical part of a M.E. robotic designer.
It takes a little time but will all come together.. its not that bad.... study you calculus... you'l do fine...
My suggestion is buy a simple DC motor and a "quadrature" sensor, and a cheap processor, and program a servo that changes the angle of rotation when entered, at a pre-determined speed profile. That should help you understand the basic elements.
Best of luck
Richard "K over M !!!" Wolf