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Robots With a Purpose

Oliver – future robotics engineer

I am interested in robotic engineering because l believe that in the future we will want robots by our side. As a kid I always wanted little toy robots but I never thought, "what if I could make them bigger, smarter, stronger, etc..." Think what you can do with a tiny robot: move the arms, legs, make it do a dance or even throw things. As fun as that sounds, they don't really work. They can barely move in one direction. For example, I spent $100 of my hard-earned money on a robot that when told to go straight would spin in circles. They’ve sadly always disappointed me.

And then it hits me I want to create bigger better robots that can help in everyday lives. Then there would be no need for retirement homes because the robots could help the elderly with their everyday life. Or robots could help when people are sick.

l took some steps to figure out what I need to do to make this a reality. First I went to Texas Career Check and I learned about how I need the skills of science and math: I also must be really good with technical things and designing. As a kid I play with multiple toys and love the ones that involve circuits. I also learned that I would need to start with a college degree in engineering and then later a masters degree in engineering because I want to be the best I can be and I will be the best I can be. If I become a robotics engineer I would want to build a robot that could help with older people who need help, robots with a purpose.

Oliver's essay appears here as written, to preserve the young author’s unique voice and individual writing style. However, we have deleted personally identifiable information to protect the student’s privacy.