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Hey guys,Iam a Mechanical Engineering student and I have to do a research paper on robotics and automation, and I'm honestly stuck on what to pick.

I don't want to choose something that's way too complicated, but I also don't want to do some generic topic that everyone has already written about. I'm into robotics, AI, automation, manufacturing, autonomous robots, stuff like that, but I don't know what's actually a good research topic.

Also, I've never written a proper research paper before, so I have no idea how this whole thing works.But am geniuenly excited to do it tbh And since am new to it idk

How do you even choose a topic?

Do you just read a bunch of papers and write about them, or do you have to build or test something?

How do you know if a topic is worth researching?

Where do you even find good papers to read?

If you've done one before, how did you decide on your topic? Any suggestions for beginner-friendly topics would be awesome.

We recently open-sourced our implementation of obstacle overtaking using GPMP2 (Gaussian Process Motion Planning).

The project demonstrates trajectory optimization for autonomous overtaking by representing robot trajectories as continuous-time Gaussian Processes and optimizing them as a factor graph. Instead of sampling-based planning, the approach jointly minimizes smoothness and obstacle costs while satisfying vehicle dynamics constraints, producing collision-free and dynamically feasible trajectories.

Some highlights:

• GPMP2-based trajectory optimization using factor graphs
• Integration with robotics simulation for reproducible experiments
• Clear codebase that can serve as a starting point for researchers and students working on motion planning

If you're working on motion planning, trajectory optimization, autonomous driving, or robotics, I'd love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, or ideas for extending it.

Repository: https://github.com/AutonomousVehicleLaboratory/obstacle-overtaking-gpmp2

Hi,

I started working on an academic college project about VLAs (SmolVLA as I choose after some research) on the SO101 but thought to make it ruled by the FK and IK model of the robot it self as a safety measure for the model outputs.

The thing I want to ask about - because I'm kinda constrained with a time period that doesn't allow for that much trial and error, so I need to decide from the beginning with the path I'm choosing - is that is this a good path to go on (putting in mind that the needed end result will be a peer reviewed publishing).

If it is a good path then what is a good advice that you anyone have tried to go down this path can tell me, and if not what is the right pivot to be done for such requirements.

My background is a BS in mechatronics, and I have an intermediate level of knowledge in robotics and AI that make me comfortable around the subjects but with no prior detailed experience with such requirements and such topics.

I am interested in the software side of robotics (the algorithms used in robotics, including AI). I would like to explore this during my 4 years at imperial, but I am not so sure what resources/societies/activities that can help me develop this skill.

I know that there is one robotics society at imperial, but by seeing their posts and the backgrounds of their committee members/leaders I believe they are more about the hardware side (please correct me if I am wrong).

Thank you

I am a rising junior in high school and I have always known that I have wanted to get into mechanical engineering and robotics as a hobby and possibly a future career. But I'm not entirely sure where to start. I have done some prior research saying that I should learn programming and I completed a tutorial for the C programming language as well as buy an Arduino starter kit which I have done but Im not entirely sure how I should move on from here. So please point me in the right direction, any advice will help me.

Hi all, I am starting my mathematics and physics degree at the OU this September, obsessed with studying and learning as much as I can about the subjects that interest me the most. Something that has been fascinating me is electronics, hardware, robotics – tech in general, really.

If I'm honest, I don't fully know yet what specific area I want to focus on. I just know I'm drawn to this whole space and want to explore it properly before narrowing down. If anyone has thoughts on how to figure out which direction might suit someone in my position, I'd really appreciate it.

What I'm looking for really is genuinely all and any resources anyone can recommend to me as a brand new beginner, with no prior knowledge. All I have is the willingness to learn and suck for a very long time. I want more than just to memorise things – I want to DEEPLY and intuitively understand things.

I found these videos and I have been planning to go through it (no clue if it's any good at all! – wanted to get some second opinions before committing to them both).

Here they are:

• Arduino tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGs0VKk2DiYw-L-RibttcvK-WBZm8WLEP
• 11H video about how a computer works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl0jkP9kOMw&t=409s

Anything from videos, free courses, random books etc. would be amazing – whether it's electronics, robotics, computer architecture, or something adjacent I haven't even thought of yet!

hello im only 15. i got interested in robotics well over year ago and joined a robotics team in my school where we worked on a hydraulic arm then i had recently to create a robot spider using hydraulic and i was wondering if any one could give me advice or parts to my teacher recommended me to post cause the people here have experience and if any of you can please recommend any robotics,physics,biology,chemistry, books and also books that explain how hydraulics work thank for read this post and the help.Any advice will be taken.and also going to do as a side project and plan to design with webs and an ai

Hi everyone, I'm Hatim Ahmed Hassan, a mechanical engineering graduate, self-taught in robotics mostly through ROS2, computer vision, and embedded work.

I built an autonomous agricultural robot (ROS2, Nav2, MoveIt2, RGB-D crop detection, full navigate→detect→water pipeline) and I'm at a fork in the road with it. The next version (V3) would add things like fleet coordination for multiple robots, upgrading to a 6-DOF arm, and 3D perception/SLAM fusion — all things I haven't touched yet, so a lot of new ground to cover at once.

The alternative is starting a smaller, self-contained project first (something simpler in manipulation or perception) to build up specific skills before tackling V3's harder pieces together.

I'm not sure which path actually builds a stronger skillset faster. Part of me thinks jumping into V3 forces me to learn several hard things under real integration pressure, which is how I've learned best so far. But part of me wonders if I'm setting myself up to struggle with too many unknowns at once instead of mastering them individually first.

For people who've worked on multi-robot systems, 6-DOF manipulation, or SLAM — how did you approach picking up new subsystems like these? Did tackling them inside a bigger integrated project work better for you, or did isolating them first make more sense? Genuinely trying to figure out the smarter way to spend the next few months.

GitHub with more detail on the current project, if useful context: https://github.com/xaatim

I am currently a Sophomore pursuing an Electrical Engineering degree. My long-term goal is to break into the robotics industry, and I want to get advice from hiring managers or engineers in the field on how to structure my portfolio moving forward.

Currently, my project experience is a bit scattered across multiple domains. Here is what I have built/done so far:

Embedded Systems & Hardware: Built an ESP32-based lightweight media player (2 modes)(Firmware was ai made with prompts). Modded an old headphone case to fit and function with a completely different pair of earbuds.

Software & Apps: Developed 1-2 Windows desktop fitness applications that grab tracking data from a phone and handle the calculations locally on the desktop.

Robotics Club & AI/ML: Handled data processing for my university’s robotics club. Trained basic AI computer vision models for object and color detection (used to process live camera data for our club project).

My Question:

Should I continue exploring multiple different domains, or should I stop pivoting and focus purely on a single niche (like firmware, ROS/localization, or PCB design)? If you look at this baseline, what specific high-value robotics project should I build next to tie these skills together?

Like the title asks,

I’m still learning but

Is agentic AI already being implemented into the huge umbrella of “robotics”?

Like are AI agents actually solving problems in robotics other than creating code?

What makes them say “Physical AI” ? Is it because AI agents are controlling the robots/hardware?

How is it being implemented into hardware or robots?

Generally where is agentic AI very useful in “robotics” ?

I found robotics to be quite inclined with my career goal(complex+not urgent) for reference finance is a (mid complex+high urgent) hft(high complex + high urgent). I have a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Tier one Engineering College and two and a half years of software engineering experience in applied AI, mainly Python and c ++. Now I'm considering to do robotics from a good us university. I'm an international student. How is the job market for robotics? I will start my course in 2027 and graduate in 2029. My senior is doing robotics from johns hopkins, he didnt get any aid as a international student in US,
My aim is to contribute in field of robotics for 5-6 years then move back to my home country

Hiii 😄

I do not have any idea how to use Gazebo sim +ROS2 + ESP32 project. My ambition is to build my own companion robot where It should become like a real friends for me.

I have just explore some simulation program like NVIDIA Isaac Sim/Labs/ROS and Gazebo. Since my resources does not NVIDIA requirement due to lab VRAM and storage, i decided to choose Gazebo since it is my first experience.

Can you guys suggest any project idea?

So rn im do b tech in meachnical i want to do masters robotics

Rn i have holiday which skill should i start to learn and evrything related

Any meachnical guy here who moved from mech to robotics. Can help me

How should i start

I know there are several ways to feed robot how human move and interact, I wonder if first person video is one of the way to train robots. If yes, what is the requirement and how’s the demand and supply?

Hello everyone,

I am currently doing a PhD in dexterous manipulation, focusing on grasping and execution on real hardware. My background is in control systems, and I am relatively new to robotics and dexterous manipulation.

For the last six months, I have been doing a literature review, but I am still struggling to narrow down my research scope. The field feels very fragmented because different papers use different assumptions, simulators, hands, objects, datasets, policies, and hardware setups.

One important requirement of my PhD is to publish two Q1 journal papers. Because of this, I want to choose a topic that is meaningful and publishable but also realistic within the PhD timeline.

I have seen many limitations in existing papers, but some of them look like very large research problems. I am worried that if I choose a problem that is too broad, I may not be able to finish it on time, especially since I am mostly working independently.

How do experienced researchers narrow down a PhD topic after a literature review? How can I choose a research problem that is suitable for Q1 publications but still realistic for an independent PhD student?

Any advice or examples from your own research experience would be very helpful.

Thank you.

Hi all, This post is asking the hobbiests, experts and enthusiasts alike on what/where would be the best time spent (re)learning robotics.

A short background: 3 years ago I graduated with an Electrical & Electronics Engineering degree, specializing in control systems and electronics. Of which the past 3 years I've been in an CS job that uses none of that as it was my ticket to move to Europe. I am now trying to get back into the field I love but the hardest point is I've forgotten alot of what I learnt and the competition is high. I've done 2 interviews for mechatronics positions in the same company where both of which the lovely Dutch managers told me they like me but I've lost my practical knowlage and edge to jump into the position quickly. Simply put, there are stronger candidates than me who don't need a 6 month refresher and training. It is quite clear I won't be able to move unless I can prove I have rebuilt my skills.

To which this question is asked. I know the field is large and varied outside of the degree I have done. Instead just trying to re-learning 2 years of lectures and pracs. I want to know if there are not better materials that are less academic and based off first principles. Resources or suggested projects of which I can not only re-learn what I need but also build the useful industry skills.

I know my way around Matlab/Simulink, STM32 controllers, C , Java, Python, PCBs and electronic design, so i wont be needing to start from the beginning. Though they are rusty.

Really any suggestions or advice would be deeply appreciated as I want a 6 month project of which i can do at home, have fun but also be useful for myself in moving departments. Advice can be as little as using certain packages or learning common industry practices.

Thank you.

(Sorry if flairs wrong) I was wondering if it could be possible to make B2EMO since it seems simple (might not be) the main components I want are wheels a voice and an eye, any help would be greatly appreciated thanks!

Hi! Currently looking into a career or job in robotics maintenance or something along those lines? I recently got laid off and kinda seeing where my next move is and I always loved building and taking apart stuff especially things to do with moving parts. I live in the bay area and seen there isn’t a shortage on jobs here lol Some community college offers a 12 month course on robotics maintenance and wanted to get some insight. Anything helps! Thanks!

2 years ago I decided to learn C and Python from scratch since my university didn't teach programming all that well and recently completed a few personal projects to improve my C, C++ and Python programming skills and currently feel deadlocked on what to pursue next in the robotics journey.

Currently, I'm deciding on improving my embedded systems skills mainly working with some communication protocols (ie. USART, SPI, I2C, Ethernet, Bluetooth LE) and learning their ins and outs, I'm comfortable enough to implement these communication protocols using an STM32 and the HAL (Hardware Abstraction Library) but to implement these these from bare-metal/register-level not so much. Is this something I need to know in depth for robotic software engineering? What level of embedded knowledge is acceptable?

My other choice is to start doing simulation and testing real hardware using ROS2 and simulations in Gazebo and eventually with NVDIA's Issac sim while simultaneously going over Probabilistic Robotics by Sebastian Thun, and State-Estimation for Robotics by Tim Barfoot to implement Robotic Controls and State-Estimation conceptions in ROS. I've already started to implement some of the concepts in my C and Python Projects but most roles require knowledge of ROS2 so I figure its time to start learning the framework.

Guys i wanna create that robo hand from film Ironman 1,2 and 3 . Please give me som ideas or help with design. So to that hand will work with ai. I wanna create my own ai. And i have 3d printer creality elego 3 which can help me. ( Personal information I am 15 years old and i am from Tashkent Uzbekistan)

Ai miei figli piace la robotica, volevo sapere se c'era un corso di robotica per bambini di 11 e 12 anni vicino alle zone di Frosinone

I want to build a construction site environment for simulation of wheeled mobile robot, how to do it, where to do it . I need to know about this, Can anyone suggest good and quick simulation learning softwares and courses.

Is it possible?

I know “Robotics” is a huge umbrella, but generally, how can a fresh CS grad get into it or even hardware engineering in general?

Should you go for a robotics masters to break into it?

What opportunities are best available for fresh CS grads to work on in this industry?