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Go Beyond Human Limits in Cutting-Edge Robotics Programs
From helping package our food and assembling automobiles to exploring the ocean’s depths and navigating the surface of the moon, robotics is now an integral part of our lives — and our future. Mimicking human behavior but offering unique abilities, robots have helped us accomplish things that once seemed beyond our reach.
If you want to know how robots work behind the scenes and advancements like the Mars exploration rovers, self-driving cars, and aerial drones are exciting to you, learning robotics could be the next step toward your career.
What is Robotics?
Science and Engineering Meet Computer Science and AI
Robotics is a field of engineering dedicated to designing, producing, operating, and improving robots — intelligent machines with human capabilities or characteristics. Robotics programs encompass several disciplines: mechanical, electrical, computer, industrial and manufacturing engineering, computer science, system design, and data analysis. As a robotics student, you’ll also study computer vision, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality.
Robotics is creating new possibilities across industries and fields: they are essential components of assembly lines, they help defend military personnel in combat, and they even assist in surgeries. Robots are found harvesting crops, automating warehouses, and performing search-and-rescue missions. While early robots had mostly repetitive applications and were primarily limited to manufacturing within the automotive industry, today’s sophisticated robots are more autonomous and can assist in foodservice and transportation. For example, Domino’s and Nuro recently tested a self-driving pizza delivery robot.
Why Learn Robotics?
Exercise Creativity—And Help Solve Problems
Whether you want to invent something new or improve existing technologies, robotics programs prepare you to live out your passion for creativity and address challenges businesses, people or countries face. Robotics courses teach you how to apply your strengths in science, math and computer science to engineer machines that improve our lives and work.
Pursue a Wide Range of Careers
Since they are interdisciplinary and applicable to countless settings, robotics programs prepare you for numerous careers. Work on self-driving semi fleets. Program the “brain” behind the stunt bot for an action movie. Design the controls for a robotic home assistant. Learning robotics helps you work toward these roles and others, combining mechanical, electrical and computer engineering concepts.
Robotics Careers
The robotics field is continuously evolving and full of possibilities for students interested in how machines work, AI, programming and technology. Check out some of the top careers in robotics listed below.
Robotics Engineer
Design, assemble, test and reconfigure robots for a variety of contexts. Robotics engineers help bring blueprints and designs for robots to life, designing prototypes and simulating a robot’s functions. These engineers work in several industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, defense, agriculture, automotive and even aerospace. Explore Kettering’s B.S. in Engineering
Mechanical (or Hardware) Engineer
Design and construct a robot’s physical structure, hardware and components, including joints, motors, gearboxes and other physical parts. Mechanical engineers are crucial at every stage of a robot’s life — they model, create, assemble and test both new and existing robotic systems. Responsibilities also include research, collaboration with a team of engineers and simulation.
Software Engineer
Work behind the scenes on the key component of robots: their intelligence. Software engineers in robotics programs troubleshoot and develop software and technology applications that allow robots to function. They’re responsible for controls, software integration and putting designs into code.
Programs for Students Interested in Learning Robotics
Because this field is multidisciplinary, you can learn robotics in various engineering programs. Choosing a robotics concentration allows you to specialize in the field, but you’ll also learn skills and concepts you can apply in a robotics career in the following programs.
Undergraduate Programs
Kettering offers several paths to careers in robotics. Browse undergraduate robotics programs and related degrees.
Graduate Programs
If you hold an undergraduate degree and are interested in learning robotics, explore the following graduate degrees in engineering from Kettering.
Engineer Your Future in Robotics
Learn Robotics Hands-on in the Lab
The best robotics programs create opportunities for applying what you’ve learned in the classroom. Kettering is proud to offer you opportunities to design, program and test robots in state-of-the-art research labs.
Battle Out Your Robotics Knowledge in Combat Robotics
Join Kettering’s Combat Robotics team to engineer real-life robots that duke it out with others throughout the country.
Learn Practical Application in Kettering’s Robotics Courses
In Kettering’s Robotics Systems concentration or related robotics programs, you’ll focus on implementing robotics in contexts like virtual reality, artificial intelligence and energy storage.
Robotics News
Student’s Co-op with FIRST Robotics Founder is a ‘Dream’
Austin Schmitz (’22, ME) took his love of FIRST Robotics to a new level when he began his Co-op at DEKA Research & Development Corp. FIRST Robotics founder Dean Kamen started the New Hampshire-based company in 1982.
Students Provide Inspiration to FIRST Teams with Robot in Three Days Build
In January 2022, 17 Kettering students participated in FIRST’s annual Robot in Three Days Challenge by building a robot designed to play in the 2022 FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Game, RAPID REACT. Kettering’s build was livestreamed during the 72 hours, and students answered questions from high school students submitted via email or social media comments or messages throughout the build.
The Robotic Alternative to Knee Replacement
Kettering alumna Ashley Swartz has dedicated her career to helping people walk. She is the team leader at Roam Robotics, where they developed a wearable robotic knee brace that is helping people walk — and even ski — without pain.
Kettering University to Host More Than a Thousand High School Students for Robotics Events
More than a thousand high school robotics students flocked to the Connie and Jim John Recreation Center at Kettering University for two Kettering Kickoff Championships in September 2022. Seventy-seven FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) teams from Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Pennsylvania participated in the 2022 FRC Game, RAPID REACT.
Program the Pepperoni, Boot-up the Barista
Kettering grad Shawn Lange ('01, ME and EE) and his company, Lab2Fab are hastening the future of the food service industry with robotics, automation and artificial intelligence.
CNXMotion Hosts Its Technology Ride and Drive Event at Kettering’s GM Mobility Research Center
The track at the Kettering University GM Mobility Research Center (MRC) is getting a lot of action. Grand Blanc-based CNXMotion is using the facility to show off its latest motion control technologies to invited guests, including partner companies.
Engineer Your Future in Robotics
Are you interested in learning robotics? Request information about the programs that interest you or apply to a related program today.