Robotics and mechanical engineering
The ideas that had for long seemed to belong to science fiction may materialize in the near future, as robot manufacturing techniques have grown substantially cheaper, arousing great interest in intelligent machines. According to a study by Cisco, the number of household robots in cities doubles every nine months. In the 2020s, robots will blend with the interior of residential flats and urban areas.
Models have been created that can look after elderly people (give out medication, contact the doctor, send an SMS for an ambulance if the person suddenly falls down), assist in cooking, clean up after pets, and even fetch beer from the fridge.
Furniture and household appliances are evolving as well, with smart tables, mobile wardrobes and robotic baby strollers appearing in addition to the already popular vacuum-cleaning robot. All this makes household robotics likely to become one of the fastest-growing branches of the economy.
Industry (mechanical engineering in particular) is actively introducing new-generation robotic systems with sufficient flexibility to adjust to incoming tasks and learn in the process. Soon mechanical engineering enterprises will work according to the principle of robots making robots. Developed countries, with Russia following just behind, are building factories that are 90% automated and higher. High-tech equipment at mechanical engineering factories will become more module-based and distributed, ensuring fast assembly of new production lines. Workers at such factories will be promptly grouped and re-grouped into highly effective teams consisting of people with required knowledge and skills, able to quickly perform specific production tasks.
Robots will play a vital part in medicine. Systems are being developed to assist in complex surgeries, while robotic prostheses will allow disabled people to live full and rich lives.
Will robots take our jobs? Experts predict that machines will replace people in routine (repetitive) jobs, nudging them into creative fields (see Endangered Jobssection). Wherever there is a need for creativity, in-depth analysis or communication abilities, man is still unrivaled.complex surgeries, while robotic prostheses will allow disabled people to live full and rich lives.
Will robots take our jobs? Experts predict that machines will replace people in routine (repetitive) jobs, nudging them into creative fields (see Endangered Jobssection). Wherever there is a need for creativity, in-depth analysis or communication abilities, man is still unrivaled.
Professions
Industrial robot designer
Specialist designing robotic devices for manufacturing (for painting, welding, packing and stamping jobs), industrial logistic devices, e.g. loaders, transporters, manipulators, and robotic systems consisting of those devices, such as “lights-out” factories. Vacancies in the specialty are already appearing on HeadHunter.
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Professional skills and abilities
Household robot designer
Professional tasked with designing and programming household robots (e.g. babysitter, cleaner, washer, gardener, dog walker, etc.), which will help run the house. These robots are integrated with other components of a smart home and can move around and perform complex household work.
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Professional skills and abilities
Medical robot designer
Professional designing biocompatible robotic systems and devices for medicine and biotechnology (e.g. robot surgeons, diagnostic robots, robotic prostheses, etc.).
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Professional skills and abilities
Designer of neural interfaces for robot control
Specialist who designs control systems for industrial and combat robots based on neural interfaces, enabling control by distributed teams as well as individual operators.
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Professional skills and abilities
Children’s robot designer
Professional involved in designing children’s toys, games, gadgets and various mechanical commodities based on programmable robots, taking into account the mental and physiological specifics of young age.
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Professional skills and abilities
Composite engineer
Specialist engaged in selecting composite materials to manufacture parts, mechanisms and joints for robotic devices with preset properties, not without the use of 3D printing.
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Professional skills and abilities
Ergonomic designer
Specialist tasked with designing robotic systems taking into account the user’s ergonomic requirements, based on their physical and mental abilities.
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Professional skills and abilities
Multi-purpose robotic systems designer
Professional engaged in controlling and servicing robotic systems, including in complex and dangerous facilities and in dealing with hard-to-reach or microscopic objects. The job is already on offer. General director of the Chebarkul Milk Factory, who announced a transition to automated production in 2014, made this comment: “We have a lot of work done manually now, but when we have had the production lines automated, we will need people to maintain the equipment”.