Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary field that includes electrical and mechanical engineering, computer control, and information technology. It is used to design functional and adaptable products involving traditional mechanical products that are controlled by electronic and computerized mechanisms. Its physical parts are created using mechanical engineering, but the parts that power it and are produced use electronic and computerized methods. A robot is also an example of a mechatronic product because it contains mechanical and electronic parts controlled by a computer.
Some other examples of mechatronic systems include:
Each of these products is mechanical in nature, but could not function without the integrated design of the electrical and computer control systems that are crucial to their operation.
Check out this Tedx Talk by Dennis Hong as he discusses The Robots of the Future.
From: Salem Encyclopedia of Science. (2020). Mechatronics. Retrieved from https://eds-b-ebscohost-com.georgian.idm.oclc.org/eds/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=bf420579-e620-41a4-86d8-b07d59ccda82%40sessionmgr101&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=119214361&db=ers
From: University of Western Ontario. (n.d). What is mechatronics engineering. https://uwaterloo.ca/mechanical-mechatronics-engineering/undergraduate-students/future-students/what-is-mechatronics-engineering
