SHDHS Career DayFebruary 25, 2010

Steve Bolin 1

TopicsWhat do engineers do?My engineering education and careerWhy are robots important?Types of robotsFuture growth areasTechnologies used in roboticsTechnical disciplines needed in roboticsSkill requirementsEducation and trainingSchoolsHow to get experience while in high school

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What do engineers do?Engineers design creative solutions to all sorts

of problemsEngineers are people who use math, science,

and technology to solve problemsWork with other people on a team to develop

new products or systemsMake things work betterLearn new things and always improvePlanning and managing projects

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Types of EngineersMechanicalElectrical and ElectronicsChemicalCivilIndustrialBiomechanicalPhotonics Computer software Computer hardware NuclearAgriculturalAeronauticalBiomedical

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What is it like being an engineer?Education (typically four year bachelor’s

degree)Professional engineer license is becoming

more important (required in certain fields)Travel (varies)Salary range:

Starting salaries (2009-ME,EE): $58,000 to $60,000/year

Leadership positions can make over $100,000

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My Engineering BackgroundEducation – Mechanical Engineering,

BusinessBSME – Manhattan College (machine design)MSME – Ohio State University (robotics)MBA – Xavier University

Career experience (Manufacturing and Robotics)Mechanical EngineerProject Manager

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What do you think of when you hear the word “robot”?

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Why Robotics?Areas that robots are used:

Industrial robotsMilitary, government and space robotsService robots for home, healthcare, laboratory

Why are robots used?Dangerous tasks or in hazardous environmentsRepetitive tasksHigh precision tasks or those requiring high qualityLabor savings

Control technologies:Autonomous (self-controlled), tele-operated (remote

control)8

Industrial RobotsUses for robots in

manufacturing:Welding PaintingCuttingDispensingAssemblyPolishing/FinishingMaterial Handling

Packaging, Palletizing Machine loading

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Industrial RobotsUses for robots in

Industry/ManufacturingAutomotive:

Video - Welding and handling of fuel tanks from TV show “How It’s Made” on Discovery Channel. This is a system I worked on in 2003.

Packaging: Video - Robots in food manufacturing.

(Videos are on the next two slides)

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Industrial Robots - Automotive

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Industrial Robots - Packaging

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Military/Government RobotsiRobot PackBot

Remotec Andros

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Military/Government Robots

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Soldiers in Afghanistan being trained how to defuse a landmine using a PackBot.

Military RobotsAerial drones (UAV) Military suit

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Space RobotsMars Rovers – Spirit and Opportunity

Autonomous navigation features with human remote control and oversight

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Service RobotsMany uses…

Cleaning & Housekeeping Humanitarian Demining Rehabilitation Inspection Agriculture & Harvesting Lawn Mowers SurveillanceMining Applications ConstructionAutomatic RefillingFire FightersSearch & Rescue iRobot Roomba vacuum cleaner

robot

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Medical/Healthcare ApplicationsDaVinci surgical robot by Intuitive Surgical. St. Elizabeth Hospital is one of the local hospitals using this robot. You

can see this robot in person during an open house (website).

Japanese health care assistant suit (HAL - Hybrid Assistive Limb)

Also… Mind-controlled wheelchair using NI LabVIEW

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Laboratory ApplicationsDrug discovery Test tube sorting

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Technologies Used in RoboticsDrivetrain – servomotors, gear reducersHydraulics (oil), pneumatics (air)Electrical controls – motor drives, computersLightweight materials – aluminum, carbon fiber,

titaniumSensors

PhotoeyesEncoders/position measurement sensorsProximity switchesLaser scannersVision systemsNavigation systems/GPS

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Disciplines Used in RoboticsRobotics merges many technical

disciplines:Mechanical EngineeringElectrical EngineeringComputer ScienceBio-Medical EngineeringEthics and Legal Issues

Mechatronics

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Required SkillsMath

Algebra, geometry, trigonometry, calculusScience

Physics – forces, motion controlChemistry – materials

Computer ScienceProgramming languagesApplications – Word, Excel, Access, etc.

Business, project management and leadership skills

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Education and TrainingAssociates degree for technician positions (2

year)Bachelor of Science in engineering or

computer science for most positions (4 year)Masters or PhD for research or advanced

development positions (Masters - 2 years, PhD – 4+ years)

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SchoolsUK - Center for Manufacturing UC - Center for Robotics Research Ohio State – ME, EELouisville – ME, EECarnegie Mellon – Robotics InstituteVirginia Tech – Robotics and Mechanisms LabMIT - Humanoid Robotics GroupStanford - Artificial Intelligence LaboratoryMilitary – Navy, Air Force

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How can you get experience while in high school?

Learn to program in software platforms (C++, Java, …)

Microsoft Robotics Studio development packageLearn mechanical design/CAD with student versions

of:SolidWorksPRO/EngineerAutoCAD

Learn to build and program Lego Mindstorms or other robotic development platforms

Start a robotics clubStart a team and compete in a FIRST, BEST, National

Robotics Challenge and other robotic competition

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FIRST Robotics CompetitionsFIRST Tech Challenge for high school

students

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Visit iSpace www.ispacescience.org and FIRST www.usfirst.org for more information.

Robotics and Engineering SitesASME www.asme.org/ IEEE www.ieee.org, www.ieee-ras.org/ SME www.sme.org Robotics Industry Association (RIA)

www.robotics.org FIRST www.usfirst.org iSpace www.ispacescience.orgiRobot www.irobot.com/National Instruments http://www.ni.com/robotics/ How Stuff Works

science.howstuffworks.com/robot.htm 27

Questions…Website: www.stevebolin.com, Email:

sbolin@fuse.net

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