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Add microbotics to your arsenal

The ability to build and programme robots is invaluable in this IOT era.


Johannesburg, 11 Jun 2018
David Fourie, Head of Department, IT Technical Programmes, CTU Training Solutions.
David Fourie, Head of Department, IT Technical Programmes, CTU Training Solutions.

In this age of artificial intelligence, automation and robotics, all of which are part of the fourth industrial revolution, there's a very real fear that robots will one day replace humans in the workplace. However, according to David Fourie, Head of Department for IT Technical Programmes at CTU Training Solutions, the converse is also true: new opportunities are being created for people by these technological innovations.

"As it becomes increasingly possible to automate more and more tasks routinely performed by humans, there is equally increasing demand for people who can enable this type of technology. The robots are freeing up humans to do increasingly complex tasks that robots themselves cannot (yet) perform."

One of these in-demand skills is microbotics. Fourie explains: "Microbotics entails knowing how to design the electronic components that go into building a robot, but it's also about being able to do the programming that makes it function." He goes on to say this subject should be introduced to learners at school level so that they can establish whether they are more interested in furthering their electronics skills or their programming capabilities, because it gives them a grounding in both.

"It's important for learners to be given the opportunity to establish their area of interest from a young age. Microbotics courses start out by introducing the electronics aspect, such as building circuit boards and electronic components, but also incorporate the programming behind it. Being able to write code is as important as understanding how the electronics work, as each is reliant on the other to produce a functional robot. From there, the learner can decide whether he or she wants to move into electronics or programming."

Fourie goes on to explain the role that microbotics play in the majority of businesses today. "Technology touches all parts of a business. Regardless of your role within the business, you'll need to have a fundamental understanding of how technology works in order to use the technology that's required for your position. But, more importantly, the business will require people who can enable that technology in the background. This is where having a background in microbotics will come to the fore."

"In fact, most people aren't even aware of the role that microbotics play because they're ubiquitous, incorporated into things we routinely do every single day. If you think about how smart watches, smartphones and even smart toothbrushes have already become part of our daily existence. Then there's technological advancements such as virtual reality, which can now be experienced through VR contact lenses, not to mention gym equipment that links into your smart devices, you realise just how pervasive microbotics already are."

While it's true that automation will make some jobs obsolete, and this is already being proven in factories, the other side of the coin is that it's also creating more jobs for people with the relevant IT skills to enable automation on an increasingly bigger scale. As technology grows exponentially over the next few years, you won't find a job that doesn't require working with technology. There will be increasing demand for skilled people who understand where the world is moving and have the technology background to help it get there.

Asked which key concepts should be incorporated into a microbotics course, Fourie outlines five basic aspects that ought to be covered:

* How to build circuit boards;
* What electronic components are and what they do;
* Experimenting with electronic components;
* How to build a robot; and
* How to programme a robot.

The robot revolution

The world is in the midst of a microbot revolution that's all-encompassing. We're starting to see things like drones and chatbots becoming commonplace, with connected cars, automated homes and the medical field all benefiting from advancements in machine learning and automation. Technology is changing the way that we live and work and the applications keep evolving.

Fourie concludes: "I foresee a future where the world moves from a generation of digital consumers, which is where we are currently, towards a generation of digital makers. And microbotics is just one of the tools that's going to get us there."

Find out more about growing your microbotics capabilities here.

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