IKON
India’s first robot ‘Brabo’ has been developed for micro, small and medium enterprises. A Tata group company, TAL Manufacturing Solutions, has unveiled India’s first ever robot called ‘Brabo’. It has already been showcased in the Make in India week and has now been launched It has been developed in-house by a team of six engineers led by Anil Bhingurde, COO of TAL Manufacturing Solutions, the development cost of the robot is reported to be about Rs 10 crore.
The designing has been done at TAL, styling was done at Tata Elxi, and manufacturing of some parts at Tata AutoComp. The enterprises will then use the robots for their manufacturing purposes.It has been reported that Brabo will be priced at Rs 300,000 for 2 kilograms payload, and Rs 600,000 for 10 kilograms payload. The main advantage that Tata has is that the company will have the localised manufacturing of the robot and it can price the robots lower than the foreign players. The idea behind the making of the robot is to drive mechanisation in the Indian markets by offering cheap and cost-effective solutions.
What is the job all about?
Robotics is a branch of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering guided by a computer program or electronic circuitry. Learners should be willing to interact with topics like; planar and spatial kinematics, and motion planning, 3D graphic simulation, control design, task modelling, embedded software, actuators and sensors, wireless networking and human machine interface and artificial intelligence.
Some robots like the Mars Rover Sojourner and the upcoming Mars Exploration Rover, or the underwater robot Caribou help us learn about places that are too dangerous for us to go. Robots are used in manufacture (automobile / pharmaceutical industries etc)While other types of robots are just plain fun for kids of all ages.
Sensing: A robot must be able to sense its surroundings. It entails giving your robot sensors: light sensors (eyes), touch and pressure sensors (hands), chemical sensors (nose), hearing an d sonar sensors (ears), and taste sensors (tongue). A robot needs to be able to move around its environment. Whether rolling on wheels, walking on legs or propelling by thrusters. Energy a robot must be able to power itself. It might be solar powered, electrically powered or battery powered. It all depends on what your robot needs. A robot needs some kind of smartness. This is where programming comes in It involves coded commands that directs the robot on tasks to perform and control its actions.
Can I go for it?
Rapid developments have made robotic technology professions among the most exciting available to recent graduates Positions within the robotics industry generally are the different stages of the engineering process. Some engineers, for example, are responsible for the planning as to how robotics might address a problem make the process more efficient. Others apply the available engineering principles towards making of the real Robot.
The robotics industry also employs a whole platoon of support staff, like testers, programmers and operators. While positions vary, some skills can be called a must for the people working in the industry. Staff, for example, need be mechanically sound. Proficiency in mathematics and physics will be helpful for the job, so does a Good knowledge of the principals involved in the field. Many in the industry also utilize vivid imagination and get solutions and also those who have tactile abilities to help with their work. So this means that there are career opportunities in robotics as well!
That’s good news to those who want to get into this field. Robotics engineers design robots, maintain them, develop new applications for them, and conduct research to expand the potential of robotics.
Is there a future in this field?
Robots have now become irreplaceable devices in our lives – doing jobs that are either to dangerous (outer space) or inaccessible tasks (bottom of the ocean – where humans could not survive the extreme environments) or highly repetitive jobs (automobile / pharmaceutical industries).
The robot has other roles also which include – Industrial, Military (Bomb diffusion & land mine detection, possibly 4,000 robots serving in the US Military at present), Factory, Research and not forgetting the Domestic robot. Their “brain” is actually a form of computerized artificial intelligence, also known as (AI). This allows the robot to perceive conditions and decide upon a course of action based on those conditions.
Where do I start?
Yes by all means if you are strong in PCM & B and also love Computers. There are going to be lots of job opportunities in this field as Manufacturers are looking for tools to reduce labour or introduce robots to do boring repetitive jobs.
In Goa
Beginnings in Engineering College at NIT or Bits Pilani
Outside Goa
Having a B.Tech degree in Mechatronics will be able to help you i.e. you will have no need to again try out the other parts of robotics as both Mechanics and Electronics will be involved in this branch of engineering
M.Tech in Robotics:
• The Centre for Robotics and Mechatronics at IIT-Kanpur
• Jadavpur University, Kolkata – 700032, offers M.E. Robotics.
• The University of Hyderabad offers M.Tech. In Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.
• M.S. University, Baroda, conducts a master’s programme with specialisation in automation control and robotics.
• PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, conducts M.Tech. Mechanical with robotics as an elective subject.
• SRM institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Kancheepuram district, offers M.Tech. Robotics.
• The Department of Electronics under the Cochin University of Science and Technology offers M.Sc. Electronic Science with specialisation in artificial intelligence, robotics, microwave electronics and computer technology.
Robotics engineering can be studied at:
• IITs in Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Kanpur, Kharagpur
• Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
• National Institute of Technology
• University of Hyderabad
• Jadavpur University
• Birla Institute of Technology and Science
Employment avenues
• Robots in Commerce – Retail, Services, Fields,
• Robots in the home – Maids, Washing Car, Doing Chores, Mowing the Lawn,
• Robots in Security – Guards, Guard Dogs, Bomb Sniffers, Bomb Squads,
• Robots to the Rescue – FEMA, Earthquake, Hurricanes, Wild Fires
• Robots for the Weather and Environment – Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
• Robots in Transportation – Light Rail, Cars, Aircraft
• Robots in Distribution – Trains, Warehouses
• Robotic Androids – Assistants, Mentors, Educators
• Robots and Artificial Intelligence – Thinking Machines and Systems
• Robots in the Military – Smart Munitions, Net-Centric Systems, UAVs
Monies:
Sky is the limit if you can help in any of the industries indicated above.
Please do not be satisfied with just acquiring a Degree/Diploma – try and enhance your CV by doing online learning programs (with a certificate) of programs relevant to your choice of career. Your chances of employment will be much better than just a plain degree/diploma.
Please check this website under other details for places you can learn online. Also try and develop your confidence by doing a public speaking training program with people like Toast Masters International.
For government jobs: please check : http://www.employment-newspaper.com/