Impact of Mechatronics and Smart Structures on Engineering Education

摘要

The paper tackles the impact that Mechatronics and Smart Structures disciplines have on the engineering education.Mechatronics is an emerging engineering area that will likely alter the fundamental nature of engineering education,since the disciplines of electrical and mechanical engineering merge together into seamless continuum.It can provide an academic model for developing multi-disciplinary programs within the engineering college that is historically based on the traditional engineering disciplines.Mechatronics would support the synergistic integration of precision mechanical engineering,electronics control,and systems thinking into the design of intelligent products and processes.Smart Structures,a.k.a.Adaptive Structures,a.k.a.Adaptronics,is an emerging engineering field with multiple defining paradigms.One definition is based upon a technology paradigm:“the integration of actuators,sensors,and controls with a material or structural component”.Another definition is based upon a science paradigm,in an attempt to capture the essence of biologically inspired materials by addressing the goal as creating material systems with intelligence and life-like features integrated in the microstructure of the material system to reduce mass and energy and produce adaptive functionality.Their basic characteristics of efficiency,functionality,precision,selfrepair,and durability continue to fascinate designers of engineering structures today.