Just learn how to build big software systems. This might be as simple as a usb camera in a linux box with a serial port connection to some motor controller. Tha

Just learn how to build big software systems. This might be as simple as a usb camera in a linux box with a serial port connection to some motor controller. That is actually really complicated, but all the components are pretty cheap. If you can get a wifi streaming webcam with tele-operated control, you have the basic components of a PackBot. It's not rugged, or self balancing with arms, but it's there. One mistake aspiring roboticists make is thinking that robotics is something different. Actually it's just a lot of mechanical, software, electrical, and systems engineers working together. Autonomy algorithms for robotics are certainly domain specific, but the skills needs have broad application - meaning most coders have them.