Robison was born in Athens, Georgia, while his parents were attending the University of Georgia. He is the son of poet Margaret Robison and the late John G. Robison (1935–2005), former head of the philosophy department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Robison has had several careers. In the 1970"s he worked as an engineer in the music business where he is best known for creating the signature special effects guitars played by the band KISS. In the 1980s Robison worked for electronics manufacturers Milton Bradley (electronic games), Simplex (fire alarms and building control), and ISOREG (power conditioning systems). Robison wrote his first book at age 49.
Robison is married three times and has one son.
He is the elder brother of memoirist Augusten Burroughs, who also wrote about his childhood in the memoir Running with Scissors. He was diagnosed with Asperger"s at 40.
Robison taught himself about electric circuits and sound waves. He used his self-taught knowledge to design guitars for the rock band KISS and toys for Milton Bradley.
Robison runs a successful car specialty shop.
Robison Service is part of the Springfield Automotive Complex, which is also home to the Tata Consultancy Services Auto Program, a licensed special education high school that teaches life skills in the context of a working commercial auto complex. Robison is active in the autism rights movement. Since 2012, Robison has been the Neurodiversity Scholar in Residence at The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. Robison is also co-chair of the campus neurodiversity committee, which is housed in the President's office of diversity.
Robison co-teaches neurodiversity courses at the Williamsburg and Washington District of Columbia campuses.
The Committee is responsible for producing the Strategic Plan for Autism for the United States government, and the Annual Summary of Advances in Autism Research. The committee reports to the secretary of health and human services, who oversees the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and HRSA autism programs.
The IACC also coordinates autism efforts with other government agencies, including social security, defense, and education. Within IACC and other government committees Robison is known for taking the position that autistic people should have the lead voice in defining autism research goals.
He is the founder of J East Robison Service in Springfield, Master of Arts. Robison Service is an authorized Bosch Carolina Service Center that specializes in high-end European auto service and restoration. He resigned in 2013 following an op-ed released by Suzanne Wright, a co-founder of Autism Speaks.
He volunteered at Autism Speaks as a member of their treatment and advisory boards. Robison and other members of the autism community criticized Wright for proclaiming that families affected by autism lived in "despair" and in "fear of the future."
Since 2012, Robison has served as a member of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee.
