Mechatronics

In Mechanical Engineering

What is Mechatronics? Mechatronics is the term originally coined to describe the integration of mechanical, electrical, and computer technologies into the design of complex products. Although products have long included all three components, traditional design methods viewed them as separate, independently realized aspects of the design. Mechatronics emphasizes global optimization by integrating these three components of the design process.

Examples of Mechatronic systems include:

(a)    Remotely controlled vehicles such as the Mar’s Rover

(b)   Automation systems such as:

    (i) vehicle stability control;

    (ii) automated landing of aircraft in adverse weather; and

    (iii) precision control of machine tools

(c)    Precision control of robots, for example, in robotic surgery

Senior Design Projects – These projects emphasize design of mechanical systems using embedded real-time computing, and will include the implementation of a prototype in the Embedded Computing Laboratory. These include projects in robotics, automation and controls.

Examples of previous senior-level capstone design projects by UW Mechanical Engineering  students include an autonomous submarine, a shape-memory alloy actuated robotic arm, and a smart-material-based (piezo-actuated) rotary motor.

Link to detailed descriptions and videos of previous projects

Mechatronics Senior Capstone Design Project
To be eligible for a Mechatronics Capstone Design Project in the spring quarter of the senior year, you should take the following four pre-requisites courses: ME395, ME471, ME473, ME498M and ME477.

The Mechatronics Curriculum
Since the Autumn of 1996, the Department of Mechanical Engineering has offered a guided curriculum in mechatronics (see table of courses below).

 Mechatronics Curriculum Senior Year

Note:  ME395 in earlier quarters is also acceptable.

Link to description of the courses