The science and education of mechatronics engineering

Abstract

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.

Transdisciplinary Approach of the Mechatronics in the Knowledge Based Society

“…The key aims of the mechatronical approach of knowledge are to promote relevant education and training, support the development of research programs and diffuse information relating to the application of techniques across all industrial fields (Kyura & Oho, 1996;Iserman, 2000;Minor & Meek, 2002). These advantages have been stimulated by factors including developments in microprocessor industry, new and improved sensors and actuators, advances in design and analysis methods, simulation tools and novel software techniques (Stiffler, 1992;Langley et al, 1987;Wikander et al, 2001;Shetty, 2002;Pons, 2005;Mătieş et al, 2005). Mechatronics is studied at a theoretical and practical level, as a balance between theory and practice, through the included middle approach of knowledge (Lupasco, 1987;Nicolescu, 2008), based on the physical understanding rather than on the mathematical formalism, in a mechatronical integration process of the physics as phenomenological, methodological and material sciences points of view emphasized through analysis and hardware implementation (Langley et al, 1987, De Vries, 1996, Wikander et al, 2001, Bolton, 2006.…”

“…These advantages have been stimulated by factors including developments in microprocessor industry, new and improved sensors and actuators, advances in design and analysis methods, simulation tools and novel software techniques (Stiffler, 1992;Langley et al, 1987;Wikander et al, 2001;Shetty, 2002;Pons, 2005;Mătieş et al, 2005). Mechatronics is studied at a theoretical and practical level, as a balance between theory and practice, through the included middle approach of knowledge (Lupasco, 1987;Nicolescu, 2008), based on the physical understanding rather than on the mathematical formalism, in a mechatronical integration process of the physics as phenomenological, methodological and material sciences points of view emphasized through analysis and hardware implementation (Langley et al, 1987, De Vries, 1996, Wikander et al, 2001, Bolton, 2006. To evaluate concepts generated during the design process the mechatronicians must be skilled in the modelling, analysis, and control of dynamic systems and understand the key issues by computational explorations of the creative process (Jack & Sterian, 2002;Mătieş et al, 2005).…”

“…Others such examples, the synergistic synthesis of Scientia (Mechatronical Education, as a new educational transdisciplinary paradigm, the mechatronical epistemology), of Techne (Mechatronical Technology, working as a reflexive way of the integrative design, the creative logic of the included middle), and of Praxis (Mechatronical Economy of the intelligent products, through the mattergic embedded informaction, with a new socio-interactive system of thought, living and action, the mechatronical ontology), are working in the same way. The common significant generative-sinergistic space of the knowledge resulted here is the Meta-Mecatronics (Phylosofia Technologica Systemica), considered as an open transdisciplinary integrative system of the informergic knowledge (Mieg, 1996;Wikander et al, 2001;Nicolescu, 2002;Grimheden & Hanson, 2001;Bridwell et al, 2006;Pop, 2009). …”

The Internet of Things – The future or the end of mechatronics

“…A key element of course development in recent years has been the inclusion of significant a design-based component into Mechatronics programmes, often through the medium of project based working [118,122,[126][127][128][129][130]133,138,139].…”

“…• The linked issues of course development and the embedding of mechatronics as an academic discipline within courses [121,[125][126][127][128][130][131][132][133][134].…”