Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) has set up a new master’s degree program in robotics. Students will develop a wide range of skills at the intersection of mechanical engineering, artificial intelligence, systems integration, business administration and personal development, alongside the ‘normal’ technical skills. According to the university, the robot engineer is a key figure at a business and must be able to integrate multiple disciplines with each other and oversee various processes within a development system.
“Developments within digitalization are moving at lightning speed. We’re therefore eagerly looking for engineers who can guide and supervise the transition to further robotization,” says Arjen Mateboer, head of mechanical engineering R&D at Lely. “The robot engineer of the future cannot afford to be only good in one area. To make a difference, he must be strong in communication and be able to master multiple fields. He operates as the ‘homo universalis’ in a multidisciplinary team. That’s why I’m very happy with the curriculum of the new master’s degree program in Delft. This is the type of engineer I’m looking for.”
The program is dedicated to the development of the intelligent robot that perceives the environment, makes plans and decisions and controls itself or moves around in a complex environment in which people may be located. The technical core subjects in the course are dynamics and control, machine learning, robot software practicals, machine perception, planning & decision-making, human-robot interaction and a multidisciplinary project. The second year is dedicated to a joint interdisciplinary project or internship and graduation. The program focuses on, among other things, the agricultural, automotive, logistics and production sectors.