What is Mechatronics Engineering?

Mechatronics is a combination of the terms “mechanics” and “electronics” and was first used in Japan. Basically, it is an interdisciplinary field of engineering that is a synergetic integration of mechanics, electronics, and computer technology in the design of enhanced products, systems or processes.

History of Mechatronics

Japan has played a significant role to form and develop the mechatronics science. In 1969, the term mechatronics is used for the first time by a Japanese engineer from the Yasukowa Electric Company to represent the combination of mechanical and electronics disciplines.

Until the early 1980s, mechatronics was perceived to mean electrified mechanisms. In the mid-1980s microcontrollers were integrated into these systems in order to enhance systems’ performance and reduce the systems’ size and cost, leading the mechatronics to become a common discipline for these systems.

Today, the area of Mechatronics has extremely broadened that it includes industrial robots, automotive systems, anti-lock braking systems (ABS), disk drives, micro devices, communication systems, and software and information technology.