Reddit reviews Introduction to Robotics: Mechanics and Control (3rd Edition)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0201543613/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494676265&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=craig+intro+robotics&dpPl=1&dpID=41A%2BRKVFv9L&ref=plSrch

Thanks. Dress simulation will need to come later I think. At this point I will stick with integrated arms to get the basic functionality done, then once that is working I will add more features such as DCS, dress sim, multi arm, co-ordinated motion, etc.

IK solver is done using the Denavit–Hartenberg parameters and the IK solution as laid out in Robotics by Craig (https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Robotics-Mechanics-Control-3rd/dp/0201543613), chapter 4.

I originally started out with a CCD type solver but I could not maintain the pose properly. Alot of the COTS IK solvers are really more geared toward humanoid type models. But due to the amount of work involved in calculating these parameters for each robot model and the number of robots I plan to support I think I might have to go for something from the Unity asset store.

Once you gain some basic programming abilities (the Arduino suggestion is a good one to follow up on), if you're actually planning on controlling hands to pick things up as you say, you should delve into a book such as http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Robotics-Mechanics-Control-3rd/dp/0201543613/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314820514&sr=8-1 .

Sorry, started writing and my power went out, then I kinda forgot to get back to you...
But yeah, There are a few robotics programs out there. At CSM it's an MS in mechanical engineering with the area of study in robotics. CSM has different subsets of mechanical engineering. I found my ME masters to be very helpful but it really depends on what you want to do. Like I mentioned earlier, most of my coworkers at Wolf just finished with a BS. But having a masters will give you a leg up and if you can get funded for it I'd say go for it (teaching assistant, research assistant, or by a company). I'm working towards project engineering and project management but there's also programming, mechanical design, controls, electrical design, and lots of other stuff. Personally, I think most of the advancements in robotics are going to be in the software, more specifically the robot perception.
So as far as what to study now: definitely get good at programming. Mostly C++ and if you get good at one language it's pretty easy to pick up other languages so better to focus and get good at one, and C++ is the most common. Electronics are also huge, circuit design and such. Understanding of voltage, current, motors, etc.
If you're feeling really ambitious and have free time you might look into robot kinematics and SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping). Kinematics is fundamental for industrial and humanoid robots and SLAM is a key concept for mobile robotics and is starting to show in industrial and humanoid robots. These are two of my favorite books on them. There are free digital copies around too.
http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Robotics-Mechanics-Control-Edition/dp/0201543613
http://www.amazon.com/Probabilistic-Robotics-Intelligent-Autonomous-Agents/dp/0262201623
But you're probably busy with other stuff. So, focus on programming, math, and yes, electronics. I also have to do 3D modeling and simulations almost every day at work. We use SolidWorks and RobotStudio.