Mechatronics Examples You Don't Know You Rely On
The word “mechatronics” evokes ideas of high-tech robots, science fiction utopias, and things that still mostly exist in research labs at universities and in the government. While that’s certainly part of mechatronics, the reality is that examples of mechatronics exist all around us, and it’s almost certain that you rely on more than one device that was designed by a mechatronic engineer.
Modern Cars are Mechatronic Marvels
Anti-lock brake systems, proximity sensors that automatically slow your car down, software-controlled fuel injection systems, and traction control systems are almost par for the course when it comes to modern day vehicles, but even twenty years ago these systems would have been considered expensive luxuries if they had even been imagined at all! All of these automotive technologies are mechatronics systems that employ a combination of sensors, other control devices, and mechanical systems to improve car safety and performance.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 17,775 Americans died in automobile-related accidents in the first half of 2016. That’s a pretty convincing reason to improve automobile safety technology in and of itself, one which has been the core motivation for incorporating more and more mechatronic systems in automotive technology. Sensors can see things that we simply can’t, and electromechanical systems can react faster than any human being.
When You Point and Shoot, Your Camera Does the Hard Work
A skilled and professionally trained photographer can work magic behind the lens. They know how to perfectly manage their focus, adjust ISO and shutter speeds, and post-process their photos to create true works of art.
Most of us can’t do that. When we don’t have access to a professional photographer or are just taking everyday shots with our friends and family, we rely on cameras with autofocus lenses and “auto” settings that can automatically choose what to focus on, and how to balance light levels in order to take a lot of the guesswork out of snapping a good photo.
The fact that a high-tech camera can do all that at the click of a button is yet another feat of mechatronics. Sensors detect light levels and angles, computers determine distances and objects to focus on – including automatically detecting and focusing on faces in a photo – and mechanical devices controlled by the computer systems inside the camera adjust the lens’ focus and apertures. All of that happens the second or two a camera needs to take a shot.
Even Taffy is Made by Mechatronic Systems
Robots and other automated electromechanical systems are ubiquitous in the manufacturing industry. Whether you’re talking about cars and their parts, medicines, or mass-produced candy and baked goods, you can be sure that mechatronics played a crucial role in making that object out of raw materials.
Candy making is always a fun and educational example because there are so many different kinds of candy, each of which has its own production process. Saltwater taffy, for instance, starts with heating a mixture of sugar, corn syrup, and fat to 270°F, then adding exactly the right amount of coloring and flavoring. Once that’s done, the putty-like mixture needs to be repeatedly pulled and folded in order to give it its light, chewy texture, and finally passed through a series of rollers, each a little smaller than the last, until you have a candy about the width of a quarter.
You can make batches of taffy a quart or so at a time at home with a simple thermometer and cooking utensils, but nobody can make ten cubic feet of it at once. All that folding, pulling, and rolling is exhausting, repetitive work, which makes it a perfect candidate for automation. Control systems detect consistency, temperature, and dimensions of the candy and direct the mechanical pullers, folders, and rollers to produce a consistent and delicious treat.
Mechatronics is All Around Us. Be Part of It.
Whether they know it or not, people use mechatronic devices every day. They drive to and from work in one, take photos with another, and their favorite candy was probably made by yet another device made by mechatronic engineers. Even smart devices like cell phones are mechatronic devices; besides their camera, smart phones provide tactile feedback and outputs in the form of vibrations, they can sense motion well enough to know their orientation and can even act as pedometers.
One thing that unites all these devices is that they have to be designed and made by mechatronic engineers and technologists. As the world becomes more and more digitally integrated, technicians of the future will continue to blur the lines between mechanical, electrical, and control systems engineering in order to make better and safer devices.
Are you interested in a degree in mechatronics? If you would like to earn a Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering Technology with a focus in Mechatronics, ECPI University offers this program in a hands-on learning style at an accelerated rate. For more information, contact a friendly admissions advisor today.
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