Guest Editorial

Abstract

Mechatronics is a synergetic integration of diverse technologies driven by the needs of humans and industry. It includes mechanical, electrical, information technology, systems, and control engineering. To improve the performance of a mechatronic system, it should adapt to the level of skill or dexterity of its users or operators, and should assist them to improve their skills. To achieve this, the adaptive mechatronic systems, including the human in the loop, should be studied. Thus a new discipline of the synergetic integration of mechatronics with human sciences, such as medical science and psychology, named 'Human Adaptive Mechatronics (HAM)' [1-3], has been created. HAM is an intelligent electrical-mechanical system that is able to adapt itself to the human's skill in various environments and provide assistance in improving the skill and overall operation of the combined human-machine system to achieve better performance.The HAM concept was first proposed in the COE project (2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008) at Tokyo Denki University [1,2]. The EPSRC UK-Japan HAM network was active between March 2007 and September 2010, and its members have successfully initiated research on HAM [3] (www.EPSRCHAMNetwork.org.uk). The research performed by the network members covers intelligent and advanced control, advanced mechatronics and robotics, and human-machine systems with applications.