> The cost to build electronic prototypes has decreased only marginally, mechatronics, robotics and most types of actuation are still a big boys club etc.
I strongly disagree. Not only have the non-recurring expenses in EE cratered thanks to extensive part libraries and reference designs but the cost of fab & assembly is easily a tenth of what it was a decade or two ago thanks to Chinese manufacturers. Open reference designs with design files are more common than ever, allowing anyone with a little EE knowledge to bootstrap even complex designs. The equipment necessary to solder BGAs at home have fallen to the hundreds of dollars, cheaper than a decent used Metcal.
6DOF robotic arms isn't even a big boys club anymore with several open source versions available off the shelf with fast turn around part availability from McMaster/Misumi and really cheap high tech parts like linear encoders, motors, stages, controllers, etc from Alibaba/express. All of these vendors allow hobbyists to prototype full blown industrial automation, let alone individual products. Open source 3d printers, CNCs, pick and places, and so on abound with plenty of quality open source firmware. People are even starting to tackle linear motors for high precision actuators, the kind you'd find in semiconductor fabs.
I strongly disagree. Not only have the non-recurring expenses in EE cratered thanks to extensive part libraries and reference designs but the cost of fab & assembly is easily a tenth of what it was a decade or two ago thanks to Chinese manufacturers. Open reference designs with design files are more common than ever, allowing anyone with a little EE knowledge to bootstrap even complex designs. The equipment necessary to solder BGAs at home have fallen to the hundreds of dollars, cheaper than a decent used Metcal.
6DOF robotic arms isn't even a big boys club anymore with several open source versions available off the shelf with fast turn around part availability from McMaster/Misumi and really cheap high tech parts like linear encoders, motors, stages, controllers, etc from Alibaba/express. All of these vendors allow hobbyists to prototype full blown industrial automation, let alone individual products. Open source 3d printers, CNCs, pick and places, and so on abound with plenty of quality open source firmware. People are even starting to tackle linear motors for high precision actuators, the kind you'd find in semiconductor fabs.