Peace, Love, and all that hippy stuff: robotics career outside the defense industry?

[CJmango]

In Michigan there's a place called FANUC Robotics, they sponsor the ThunderChickens and offer a great work enviornment in automotive and other automation robotics. There are also numerous other automation/factory robotics companies as have been mentioned. /shameless plug


I want to go a different direction, however, and asked if you've considered academia. Academic research has many of the pro's of military research including the same focus topics, except you're applying your research to improve quality of life for ordinary people. Much of this research is in robotics, but there are emerging opportunities in biotech - currently the most explosive area of funding and research. I offer my research as an example o fthe sort of project you could be involved in - http://handlab.iit.edu. Our lab is working on robotic assist devices to study and assist with recovery from stroke. My particular project is an exoskeleton for the finger and thumb that will be used to study reach to pinch tasks - critical movement impared after stroke.

Academia has a number of other benefits. The environment closely resembles what much of us are use to in FIRST; you're surrounded by gifted and intelligent mentors, and you're challenged to learn and excel on a regular basis. It's also worth mentioning that in robotics and biotech, most graduate students (Masters and PhD) have their tuition fully covered and receive stipends for their research - fiscally on par with most entry-level jobs, and tolerable especially if you're still use to college life.

There are many programs that are looking for interns, full-time employees, and researchers as well. If you're near Chicago I would suggest looking into the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. The premiere rehabilitation institute in the world, RIC has two floors dedicated to neuromuscular rehabilitation, most of which involves robot and robot-assisted therapy. I should also mention that they work with Dean Kamen and Deka in the development of the latest prosthetic devices.

I hope this blurb has been helpful! Feel free to reply or to contact me directly if you think I may be able to help as you consider your options.

Good luck!