With many people going into robotics, and many more claiming that robotics and automation are the future of our technological development, interest in this field is at an all-time high. You want to fit into this dynamic new tech world, but you’re wondering how much energy you’ll have to spend to do that. You want to know how hard it will be to learn robotics.
Well, learning robotics can range from moderate to very difficult, depending on your interests/personality, what you already know, and what you would like to achieve with what you’re learning. To figure out how difficult it would be for you, we’ll look at each of those factors in detail.
Your Interests / Personality
This is a great place to start, especially if you’re still on the fence about learning robotics. Figuring out if robotics is a match for you might save you a lot of energy and time because in certain cases, you might be better served learning something else. Let’s take a look at how easy it will be depending on your personality.
Technology Oriented VS People Oriented?
For the most part, as humans, we don’t appear to be able to control or alter the things that interest us. We end up spending a lot of time on our interests without even noticing it. This means that the things that interest us feel easier to learn than the things that don’t. As such learning robotics would come easier to those who are more interested in working with things.
People who are more technology-oriented naturally gravitate toward the STEM fields, and robotics is surely no exception. Compared to those who prefer to work with people, the same amount of learning will feel like it takes a lot less effort, even if in reality they have to complete the same amount of work. In short, if you prefer to work with people, but still choose to learn robotics, you will be going against the grain, and it will be harder for you. Not impossible, but definitely harder.
Artistic VS Analytical
This is a more difficult distinction to make, but it does exist. Artistic types are more likely to rely on their feelings, and on how whatever they are doing appeals to the senses. Analytical types are more objective and more comfortable with a structured study process. It should be noted that this alone will not define how easy learning robotics will be for you. That’s why the other parts of this guide are important. But it’s still important to consider.
For example, if your goal is to work in robotics professionally, you would need to complete a structured study program. In such a case, it might be easier for the analytical types. Other times, like in a personal project where much of the learning is done through experimentation, the artistic types may be able to get into their stride more. In the end, each individual is different due to a unique combination of their personality and background. How can background affect your learning of robotics? The next part of this guide will provide some examples.
How much do you already know?
This is the second factor to consider when preparing to learn robotics, and it can have just as much of an impact on how easy it will be for you. If personality is the talent part, this is the practice part. Over time, things you practice become easier, and if you have experience with some of the things in this section, robotics will come a lot easier to you.
Are you good with Math?
You probably saw this one coming, didn’t you? If you want to gain anything more than just a surface-level understanding of robotics, you WILL need math. Everyone should have a basic understanding of math, but this is not what I am referring to. To be productive in your study of robotics, you must be well above average at math.
For those going all the way and aiming at a career in robotics engineering, you must be excellent at math. Not only will you need to pass several math courses during your study (each more difficult than the last), but it will also be a vital skill when you eventually start working as an engineer.
Do you have programming experience?
Next to math, this is another skill that will give you a massive head start in your learning journey. Programming is essential in robotics. It is what separates a machine from a robot, and without it, engineers would be greatly limited in what they can do.
For those who have a programming background that directly applies to the project they have, they will only need to learn the physical aspects of robotics. Even those who need to adjust or expand their programming language will have it much easier than those learning programming for the first time. In case you’re wondering, Python, Arduino, and Raspberry Pi are examples of programming languages that are likely to give you a lead in the robotics industry
Do you have engineering experience?
This is by far the most relevant background as far as robotics is concerned. Take robotics engineering for example.
The path to becoming a robotics engineer is straightforward. First, you’ll spend a couple of years studying general engineering subjects, especially mechanical and electrical engineering courses. Then you spend the last year or two of your program focusing what you’ve learned on robotics. This means that mechanical and electrical engineers are perfectly positioned to take on a career in robotics.
However, regardless of the kind of engineering background you have, you’ve most likely taken courses in physics, basic electricity, and basic programming, all of which are directly relevant to robotics. Of every group mentioned up to this point, this group will find it the easiest to learn robotics.
How much do you want to do with robotics?
What you are trying to achieve with robotics will also determine how difficult it will be for you to learn. Let’s see a few reasons why you might want to learn robotics and how that will affect the difficulty of your learning process.
Learn robotics for a professional career
To get hired at a professional level, you will need some form of formal education at the very least. This might come in the form of a bachelor’s degree with a major in robotics, a computer science degree with a focus on languages used in robotics, or at the lower levels, a diploma or certificate in automation and robotics technology.
All of these mean a structured program, focused study, and rigorous evaluation. In other words, it will be hard. For example, robotics engineering ranks about the same as mechanical engineering (or slightly higher) for difficulty. Now mechanical engineering is not the hardest major out there, but it is certainly close. Even at the technician level, robotics requires significantly more effort than other post-secondary programs.
Learn robotics for a personal project
In this case, your learning journey could range from fairly easy to extremely difficult. If the project is simple, what you will need to learn will be limited, and therefore learning will be easy.
For a more complex project, you might need to cover many different aspects of engineering and programming, of which there are many. This is besides the many hours of trial and error that are a natural part of any robotics project.
You’ll also be responsible for finding all the information you need to complete your project. That in itself can be a difficult task. At least in the structured program, everything has been brought together for you. You will likely not have this luxury if you’re working on your own project. That would mean more work for you.
However, the style of learning when you have a specific project to complete is quite different from traditional academic learning. It’s way more involved and engaging and is usually more enjoyable. For some people, this might make it feel easier than the structured program.
Learn robotics to make conversation
Another reason why you might want to learn robotics is to be able to share that knowledge in your conversations. This might be in a professional setting, like a job in sales, or a conference or networking event. Some of these scenarios might only require a more general understanding of robotics. If that is your goal, then yes, the concept of robotics can be fairly easy to learn.
The same applies if you just got a date with a good-looking robotics engineer and you want to sound like you care about their job.
Conclusion
Learning robotics can be an amazing investment of time and effort. That said, different people will need to invest different amounts to achieve the same goal. Hopefully, this guide can help you decide if, depending on your circumstances, the time and effort you will spend will be worth it.