The Mechatronics Program at the University of California, Santa Barbara (original) (raw)

The science and education of mechatronics engineering

IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine, 2001

o far there is no common and widely accepted understanding of what mechatronics really is. Many different notions similar to or including mechatronics have been used in various contexts; micromechatronics, optomechatronics, supermechatronics, mecanoinformatics, contromechanics and megatronics are some of these, each coined to put forward a specific aspect or application of mechatronics. Examples of attempts to describe mechatronics include the following. N Mechatronics encompasses the knowledge and the technologies required for the flexible generation of controlled motions [1]. N Mechatronics is the synergistic combination of mechanical and electrical engineering, computer science, and information technology, which includes control systems as well as numerical methods used to design products with built-in intelligence [2]. N Hewit in [3] states: A precise definition of mechatronics is not possible, nor is it particularly desirable, because the field is new and expanding rapidly; too rigid a definition would be constraining and limiting, and that is precisely what is not wanted at present. Mechatronics as an interdisciplinary subject tends to attract contributions from all related fields without really putting forward the opportunities and challenges arising specifically due to the interdisciplinary interactions. An example of this is that many mechatronics conferences have been unfocused and thereby have not attracted the most adequate contributions, which definitely exist. This is a disadvantage in that it hampers the development of mechatronics as an engineering science. Scientific publications in mechatronics, to help in making the subject more focused, are still quite rare. One of the earlier publications is Mechatronics-an International Journal published by Elsevier Science, first published in 1991.

Mechatronics in University and Professional Education: Is There Anything Really New Here?

Dynamic Systems and Control, 1998

Mechatronics is the synergistic combination of mechanical engineering, electronics, control systems and computers. The key element in mechatronics is the integration of these areas through the design process. The essential characteristic of a mechatronics engineer and the key to success in mechatronics is a balance between two sets of skills: modeling / analysis skills and experimentation / hardware implementation skills. Synergism and integration in design set a mechatronic system apart from a traditional, multidisciplinary system. So the answer is YES! There is something new here — in the way mechanical engineers are expected to design and in the way professors must now teach design! This paper describes the undergraduate program in mechatronics at Rensselaer, i e, two senior-elective courses, Mechatronics (fall semester) and Mechatronic System Design (spring semester), and in particular, the integration of the theory covered in lectures with the laboratory exercises. The hardware...

Preparing the leaders for mechatronics education

Technology-Based Re-Engineering Engineering Education Proceedings of Frontiers in Education FIE'96 26th Annual Conference

Mechatronics is the synergetic combination of precision mechanical engineering, electronic control and systems thinking in the design of products and processes. There is a need to develop interdisciplinary programs in Mechatronics that better prepare our graduates to design, build, and operate the products and systems of today and tomorrow. To address this need, National Science Foundation funded a project entitled "Preparing the Leaders for Mechatronics Education" undertaken by Cal Poly in 1995-1996. In this paper, the activities that took place during this two-year program is outlined. Several courses and course modules have already been developed and implemented by the participants of this program for their own universities. Some of their pioneering work in this field is also summarized.

Mechatronics education is presented and discussed. Then, focus is shifted to the Mechatronics

2005

controller education. Examples are given of the MC68HC11 microcontroller and the different evaluation boards used for (a) code development; (b) embedded applications. Then, attention is given to the software used in the mechatronics/microcontroller education. The THRSim11 comprehensive simulation and interfacing software is described. Finally, the paper discusses the interfacing between the microcontroller and the various electro-mechanical sensing and actuation components used in a mechatronics project. The use of functional modules for teaching interfacing skills to mechanical engineering students is described. The paper finishes with conclusions and further work.

Trends in Mechatronic Engineering and Education

This paper outlines the emergence of mechatronic engineering as a distinct professional activity and area of study. Current and future trends in mechatronic engineering and the educational needs of its practitioners are discussed.

A 10-Year Mechatronics Curriculum Development Initiative: Relevance, Content, and Results—Part I

IEEE Transactions on Education, 2000

This paper describes the second and third phases of a comprehensive mechatronics curriculum development effort. They encompass the development of two advanced mechatronics courses ("Simulation and Modeling of Mechatronic Systems" and "Sensors and Actuators for Mechatronic Systems"), the formulation of a Mechatronics concentration, and offshoot research activities in the mechatronics area. The first phase involved the design of an "Introduction to Mechatronics" course and the infusion of mechatronic activities throughout the curriculum and in outreach activities and has been described in a companion paper "A 10-Year Mechatronics Curriculum Development Initiative: Relevance, Content, and Results-Part I" (IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION, vol. 53, no. 2, May 2010).

Mechatronics Education: Needs and Challenges

paper, 2019

Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary branch that combines electronics, mechanics, and computer science. Due to the digital revolution, mechatronics is growing fast, rapidly spreading from manufacturing to many new sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, security, and transportation. As a consequence, mechatronics training courses are proliferating at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Nowadays, a considerable number of educational institutions, both academic and vocational, are offering mechatronics education, however their programs are not homogeneous and depend on teaching staff competence and available resources. This paper presents NewMetro, an EU funded project that aims to develop an innovative European framework of competences for mechatronics education and an educational model able to address the needs of young people as well as adult workers undergoing requalification programs. The philosophy of the project and the first activities carried out are illustrated and discussed.

A 10Year Mechatronics Curriculum Development Initiative: Relevance, Content, and Results - Part II

IEEE Transactions on Education, 2010

Development of mechatronics engineering degree program: challenges and prospects

International Journal of Engineering Education, 2003

It is now becoming common practice to include some courses in mechatronics in the traditional electrical and mechanical engineering programs. Whilst many engineering faculties have realized the need for a full-fledged multidisciplinary mechatronics engineering program, only in very few places have such programs been developed along the lines of other engineering programs. The justification for the mechatronics engineering program becomes evident, as today's engineers must be acquainted with subjects that are not ...

A 10Year Mechatronics Curriculum Development Initiative: Relevance, Content, and Results - Part I

IEEE Transactions on Education, 2010

The Mechatronics Program at the University of California, Santa Barbara (original) (raw)

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