Ayanna Howard
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¨ Advice in pursuing
robotics
¨ What does a person in "Robotics and
Automated Systems" do?
¨ Do kids talk back to you? If so, how do you
respond?
¨ How old were you
when you became an engineer?
¨ Do you play any
sports?
¨ What is your
favorite color?
¨ What steps are
there to get a job like yours?
¨ Who is in charge of
Robotic Engineering?
¨ Is your work area
like a work station, private office, workroom or a
cubicle?
¨ How do you see your
future in Robotic Engineering?
¨ How do all of the
people in your department work together?
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QUESTION:
Ayanna, I found your article inspiring. I would
love to become a robotics engineer, it's a dream I have
had since I was young also. Just as you, I was
inspired and motivated by T.V. shows, especially the
Bionic Woman, and I had the Radio Shack kit (as a matter
of fact I still have one). I am so fascinated by
robotics, I have a work bench at home and I try and
tackle a lot of different areas. I am just now
starting to look into STAMP and other microprocessors.
Anyway, I really don't know where to go or what to study
at a college. So, do you have any starter advice on
where to go? Any advice would be great.
Thanks.
ANSWER
from Ayanna Howard on 8 August 2003:
Any field in engineering (mechanical, electrical,
computer, etc.) is a good field to study in college.
It provides a good background on the theoretical skills
necessary to understand the underlying workings of
robotics. Robotics is a hybrid area - you get
experience in designing, building, programming, testing -
if there's a word for it - robotics has it.
You're off to a very good
start. Experiencing on your own with the hands-on
activities is great. It's the nut-and-bolts that
helps you solve the problems, along with the theory.
The STAMP kit is actually used in a lot of robotic
competitions (FIRST, for example). You should learn
a lot.Keep up the fire!!
DISCLAIMER: JPL now
requires notice in all electronic communication that all
personal and professional opinions presented herein are
my own and do not, in any way, represent the opinion or
policy of JPL.
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QUESTION:
What does a person in the field of "Robotics &
Automated Engineering Systems" do? Are they
separate fields or do they work hand in hand?
ANSWER
from Ayanna Howard on 27 May 2003:
A person in Robotics is typically either a mechanical,
electrical, or computer engineer. There are
different aspects invovled in this - some design the body
(i.e. mechanical parts), others program the intelligence,
and others build the brain (electrical). All of the
different disciplines need to work together in order to
build a full working robotic system. There is one
school that has a "Robotics" major - and that
is at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). They
actually combine all the fields into one, but typically
it involves separate fields.
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QUESTION:
Do kids talk back to you? If so, how do you
respond?
ANSWER
from Ayanna Howard on 15 October 2002:
I haven't had kids talk back negative to me. Most
kids who don't care, just don't come to listen in the
first place.
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QUESTION:
How old were you when you became an engineer?
ANSWER
from Ayanna Howard on 15 October 2002:
I was 21 - right after getting my B.S. in engineering.
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QUESTION:
Do you play any sports?
ANSWER
from Ayanna Howard on 15 October 2002:
I like to weight-train, but don't play any competitive
sports.
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QUESTION:
What is your favorite color?
ANSWER
from Ayanna Howard on 15 October 2002:
I really don't have a favorite color, but if I had to
choose, I would probably say burgundy.
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QUESTION:
What steps are there to get to a job like yours?
ANSWER
from Ayanna Howard on 15 October 2002:
First, hone your skills in math and science. These
elementary skills are necessary to excel as an
engineering major. Second, experiment and build
things. Get involved in projects that allow you to
use your hands and creativity to design and create.
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QUESTION:
Who is in charge of Robotic Engineering?
ANSWER
from Ayanna Howard on 15 October 2002:
At NASA-JPL, people work on different robotic projects.
There is no one person who is in charge of all the
projects.
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QUESTION:
Is your work area like a work station, private office,
workroom or a cubicle?
ANSWER
from Ayanna Howard on 15 October 2002:
I actually have two work areas. When I'm
programming the robot intelligence, I work in my office.
The quiet atmosphere helps me relax and concentrate
better. When I'm actually working on the robot, and
doing testing of the code, I work in the lab. This
is a large area with enough space for the robot to move
around without running into desks and people.
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QUESTION:
How do you see your future in Robotic Engineering?
ANSWER
from Ayanna Howard on 15 October 2002:
Robotic engineering is expanding as a career option.
The technology has reached the level that robots that
perform useful tasks - even in the home - can actually be
built. I see my future in Robotic Engineering
growing to the point that the robotic work I do for
robotic exploration will be transplanted to earth-based
applications to help people right here on our planet.
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QUESTION:
How do all of the people in your department work
together? What types of jobs do they do?
ANSWER
from Ayanna Howard on 15 October 2002:
Most tasks in the department are joint efforts. We
require various different skills from the entire team.
For example, a computer scientist will program the robot,
a mechanical engineer will design the robot components,
and an electrical engineer will figure out how to get the
electronic brain to work.
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