When I say ‘robots’, you might think of those in Wall-E or Big Hero 6. But humanoid robots (ie those that resemble humans in appearance) are few and far between. The vast majority of them— automatic mail sorters, assembly line robots and surgery robots—look nowhere near like us and are what you might dismiss as ‘machines’.

But, robots are not the same as machines. Unlike machines, robots are programmed to handle a wide range of tasks. For example, a ceiling fan is a machine; it can only do one thing—spin, so that it creates breeze in the room. On the other hand, a robot in a car manufacturing plant can identify, distinguish between and installseveral component parts of different cars in their right places.

The study, design and production of these intelligent machines or robots fall under the ambit of robotics. Robotics is a multidisciplinary field, encompassing elements of computer science, mechanical engineering and electronic engineering.

British universities are at the forefront of AI teaching, learning and research. There are over 26 universities offering programmes in artificial intelligence.

Some of the universities where you could study are:

• University of Hertfordshire
• De Montfort University (DMU)
• London South Bank University
• Middlesex University