Mechatronics
Mechatronics (or Mechanical and Electronics Engineering) is the combination of mechanical engineering, electronic engineering and software engineering. The purpose of this interdisciplinary engineering field is the study of automata from an engineering perspective and serves the purposes of controlling advanced hybrid systems. The word itself is a portmanteau of ‘Mechanics’ and ‘Electronics’.
Mechatronics is centered on mechanics, electronics, control engineering, computing, molecular engineering (from nanochemistry and biology) which, combined, make possible the generation of simpler, more economical, reliable and versatile systems. The portmanteau “Mechatronics” was first coined by Mr. Tetsuro Mori, a senior engineer of the Japanese company Yaskawa, in 1969. Mechatronics may alternatively be referred to as “electromechanical systems” or less often as “control and automation engineering”.
Engineering cybernetics deals with the question of control engineering of mechatronics systems. It is used to control or regulate such a system. Through collaboration the mechatronics modules perform the production goals and inherit flexible and agile manufacturing properties in the production scheme. Modern production equipment consists of mechatronics modules that are integrated according to a control architecture. The most known architectures involve hierarchy, polyarchy, hetaerachy (often misspelled as heterarchy) and hybrid. The methods for achieving a technical effect are described by control algorithms, which may or may not utilize formal methods in their design. Hybrid-systems important to Mechatronics include production systems, synergy drives, planetary exploration rovers, and automotive subsystems such as anti-lock braking systems, spin-assist and everyday equipment such as autofocus cameras, video, hard disks, CD-players, washing machines.
A typical mechatronics engineering degree would involve classes in engineering mathematics, mechanics, machine component design, mechanical design, thermodynamics, circuits and systems, electronics and communications, control theory, programming, digital signal processing, power engineering, robotics and usually a final year thesis.
An emerging variant of this field is biomechatronics, whose purpose is to integrate machine and man, usually in the form of removable gadgets such as exoskeleton. This is the “real-life” version of cyber ware.
The beginning is the most important part of the work.
If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts.
The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.
