The Importance of Mechatronics for Modern Engineering

The practice of mechatronics is essential for 21st-century engineering. Designing today’s complex systems requires this multidisciplinary approach to achieve optimal functionality. 

This is true “because systems today are truly multidisciplinary,” said Kevin Craig, professor of mechanical engineering at Hofstra University, where he is the director of the Mechatronics Laboratory. 

The evolution of mechatronics

Mechatronics dates back at least 50 years, when the Japanese company Yaskawa Electric Corporation coined the term by combining the words “mechanical” and “electronics.” Since then, it has grown to include control systems and computers in addition to mechanical and electronic systems.