Mechatronics as a Learning Platform

A new model for professional development training in the field of mechatronics is presented in this paper. According to this model, students’ first steps in the mechatronic track will be made while they are still in high school. Here they will be exposed to the field of mechatronics, using basic engineering tools such as reverse engineering and design process procedures. Through the reverse engineering process students will get insight into how both everyday and hi-tech products are engineered. Students will study the basic building blocks of a system, how they are connected, and the kind of interfaces being used. In addition, the high school program will show students how a system is designed. The design process is based on engineering methodology, which includes writing specifications, seeking a few alternative solutions and choosing the best one for the given problem. After determining which is the best system, students build it using the available technical tools such as Lego® bricks and a Lego microcontroller. This basic introduction to mechatronics, when given to high school students, is liable to lead them to seriously consider this field when deciding about their future careers. Such a program will present students with an overview of the broad knowledge needed by mechatronic systems designers. The model presented in this article can be represented using the letter “I”, where the lower horizontal line of the letter symbolizes the high school program, the long vertical line symbolizes both basic and disciplinary academic studies, and the top horizontal line symbolizes the interdisciplinary mechatronic broadening.