Robotics

Why study robotics at Essex?

Essex boasts one of the largest robotics facilities in the country. Our Robotics Laboratory, endowed with over £3M in investments and spanning 100m², houses over 50 robotic systems, providing an expansive and well-equipped space to commence your journey into building and programming intelligent systems.

Connect with leading robotics researchers, including Dr Vishuu Mohan, who collaborated with the renowned jam makers Wilkin & Sons of Tiptree on innovative strawberry-picking robots.

Explore the research opportunities with the Computer Science and Electronic Engineering Research Experience Scheme, where you can engage in projects within our School, gaining valuable research skills applicable to future careers.

Ranked in the Top 25 in the UK for Computer Science in THE World University Rankings by Subject 2026, Essex propels graduates into successful careers, with some of our recent graduates securing jobs with prominent companies such as National Instruments, McLaren, Google and Microsoft.

Our courses are designed to arm you with the knowledge and skills needed for this rapidly-changing and innovative industry. Uniquely blending electrical engineering and computer science, the courses cover theoretical and practical aspects of navigation, motion control, sensory perception, autonomous decision-making, and machine learning. Gain expertise in:

• Java and C++ programming
• sensors
• motion control algorithms
• high-level cognition in robotic systems
• computer vision
• digital signal processing
• artificial intelligence
• intelligent agents
• computer science
• data science
• machine learning
• natural language processing

Your career prospects

Our School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering provides a cutting-edge learning experience, giving you as both a student and alumnus the skills for success in the dynamic tech landscape. Some of our alumni now work for some of the world's biggest companies, others created their own companies and solved solutions to technological problems. Explore the career opportunities our School can provide you and learn more about our Alumni.

Master the robot and explore intelligent systems

Benefit from the forefront research conducted in our School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, providing you with a comprehensive grasp of the foundational aspects of robotic engineering and the programming of intelligent systems. Explore key areas, including:

• principles guiding the conversion of sensed data into actionable information
• practical aspects of developing intelligent and robotic systems
• biologically-inspired robots
• biometrics
• computational intelligence

Robotics demands a well-rounded understanding of computer science, artificial intelligence, engineering and neuroscience. This interdisciplinary knowledge is crucial for crafting hardware capable of sensing and manipulating the real world. Within this field, advancements have led to the development of diverse technologies ranging from satellites and submarines to race cars and robots.

Continue your research journey

As a research student at Essex, you'll have access to a wide range of bespoke labs and research facilities which will enable you to undertake cutting-edge research across the exciting and innovative field of robotics. Work with our expert academic staff and other research students to explore contemporary challenges and find solutions to some of the world's greatest modern technological problems.

Our degrees go beyond research, providing you with hands-on experience in project management, communication, and support for enhancing your numerical and data analysis skills. These invaluable skills are essential for your future career, whether you're aspiring to pursue academia or transition into the private sector.  

Start your application with us

Explore our robotics research by theme or your area of interest and find a supervisor that can support your through your studies. More information can be found about research degrees on our school pages. Our courses below will help guide you through the various research degree programmes we offer.