Robotics, BEng (Hons), with industry placement

Course summary

Whether you are interested in mechatronics, artificial intelligence or the possibilities for biosensors, the BEng Robotics will encourage you to push your limits. Our emphasis on high level robotics, including mobile and humanoid automation, and our focus on the electronics and hardware that support industrial and service robotics is complemented by the hands-on approach you'll develop in our specialist laboratories.You will work in a world-class research environment with staff internationally renowned for conducting cutting-edge service and cognitive robotics research. You will take part in robotics competitions offering invaluable opportunities for exciting and highly formative, practical sessions of intense study. You’ll capitalise on the opportunity to take a work placement in your third year, putting your robotics skills into action in the real world.Key features:

• Our robotics courses have a large number of laboratory practical sessions embedded in their modules, and this is a strong feature of the robotics teaching in Plymouth. This ensures that you can consolidate theory learned in lectures using real practical tasks, making your understanding of topics much more concrete.

• Develop in a broad range of subjects ranging from analogue and digital electronics to software programming and artificial intelligence, all in the context of robotics.

• Advance your knowledge of electronics, microprocessors, and embedded systems forming the technological core of the course. This is supported by a thorough understanding of robotics concepts, such as control theory, sensors and motors.

• Learn by doing in our high specification electronics, communications and robotics laboratories.

• Work in a world-class research environment with staff internationally renowned for conducting cutting-edge service and cognitive robotics research.

• Take part in robot football and other robotics competitions offering invaluable opportunities for exciting and highly formative, practical sessions of intense study.

• Benefit from individual and group projects offering the possibility for you to consolidate your robotics knowledge by building and programming a variety of robots including small wheeled robots, industrial robots and humanoids.

• Draw on unique opportunities to engage in world-class robotics research, and in a variety of activities (for example, in the humanoid robot football, Federation of International Robot-soccer Association (FIRA) competition).

• Capitalise on the opportunity to take a work placement in your third year, putting your robotics skills into action in the real world.

• Join our Robotics Society and take the opportunity to assist robot development for international competitions such as the Robocup humanoid football league and robot athletics.

• Accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as an Incorporated Engineer and partly meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer.

• Benefit from free IET membership while you are on the course.

• Work alongside internationally-renowned staff in a leading service and cognitive robotics research environment.

• To complement your formal learning we offer regular PALS sessions that provide the opportunity for you to learn with and from your peers. Share knowledge, discuss ideas, and ask questions in a relaxed and friendly environment.

In Year 1, you'll use our well-equipped laboratories to develop your knowledge and practical problem solving skills, learning by doing in a practically focused environment from the outset. Group project work will enable you to develop your problem solving and communication skills, and structured design procedures for both hardware and software are brought together in an integrating robotics project. In your second year, you'll develop a greater understanding of underlying engineering principles and circuit design methods. Again, there's an emphasis on teamwork and you will have opportunity to do both group and individual presentations of your projects. You'll have the opportunity to use industrial standard software tools for design and simulation, data monitoring and control, which are good preparation for your final year individual project or for a placement year. Your optional work placement experience year gives you opportunities to put the theory into practice, grow your understanding of robotics in the real world and showcase your emerging expertise. We can help you find industrial placement opportunities in the UK, France, Germany or even Japan. Placements will complement your studies with on-the-ground experience and could lead to final year sponsorship. Many of our graduates are offered permanent jobs with their placement company. Your final year is an exciting opportunity for an individual project, which will consolidate your knowledge, and encourage you to explore and evaluate new technologies. You'll demonstrate your communication skills in the oral and written presentation of your project and refine the independent learning skills vital for your continuing professional development in your chosen career path. You’ll build a proactive, imaginative and dynamic approach to learning, vital for your future robotics career. The modules shown for this course or programme are those being studied by current students, or expected new modules. Modules are subject to change depending on year of entry.