What would I major in if I wanted to build things like robots?

Question

I like to take things apart, even if it's just a broken DVD player, and take out some of the things with red and black wires sticking out of them so that I can stick them to a much larger, stronger power source, sometimes making them run a little too fast. I think it's awesome. I want to go to college to either major in things like that or at least take classes on it whilst majoring in something else. What courses should I be looking into and what classes in High School should I take to learn more about this stuff? Thanks.

Answer 1

Electronics, mechtronics etc. But nowadays good kits are available so anybody can assemble robots provided they have the resources.

Answer 2

Think about Electrical Engineering.  I did what you did as a kid, and took things apart and made other things.  I got into Ham Radio and made my own transmitters.

You will find, as you mature, that your interests in robotics may change, as you find out there is a very big world out there with lots of things to do.  You talk specifics, now, but you have no idea where life will take you.  I would never have dreamed that I would design and build medical research instruments for ophthalmology.  I didn't even know what that was!  But I couldn't image doing anything else.

Electrical engineering will give you the broadest education.  From there you can pick up mechanical engineering, which will take about 20 minutes (just kidding), or anything else.  Just keep your mind and hands working on things.  But don't hurt yourself or blind yourself playing with dangerous items without thinking first.  The CD player you have could blind you if you let the IR laser inside be concentrated in your eyes.  but everything else is low voltage and you can get quite creative.  Always be making stuff.  And studying math.  And physics.  And anything you can get your hands on.  And read good novels and bios.  Being well-read will be your biggest asset as an engineer.  You are the one who has to make science meet the real world, and if you don't know the real world, how can you be useful?

Good luck, and don't give up!

Answer 3

nerd-genering...i mean, enginering