Mechatronics

This is a portmanteau of the words “mechanical” and “electronic.” It can refer to two related things:

• A general multidisciplinary approach to fields where robotics and electronics intersect
• The specific study of automation – both physical tooling and their control systems (for instance, on a robotic assembly line)

The word was coined in Japan in 1971 and a trademark was filed (and subsequently released).

Why I Looked It Up

A friend posted to Facebook that their son graduated with a degree in mechatronics. I had never heard the word before.