Is mechatronic engineering same as electrical engineering?

Dear Saw Zi,

 

Mechatronic engineering has a variety of definitions, but in general, it is the combination of using electrical engineering and mechanical engineering to develop robots, tools, or other devices that achieve a goal, whether that is electromechanical assistance for wheelchair users, or electrical control and feedback for mechanical devices such as manufacturing machines to name just a few.  You may also be familiar with mechatronics for animated, moving displays at places like Disneyworld.   So, mechatronics involves electrical engineering, but there are also lots of other areas in electrical engineering that are different, such as semiconductor devices (such as transistors), lasers, electromagnetics and antennas (my field!), circuits, communications, power engineering, and signal processing.   For both mechatronics and EE in general, there are lots of opportunities for jobs that involve design, development, and testing for any electrical system or device that you can name.    So, really, it is about choosing a field that you love and find interesting, and when you do that, you’ll be successful in your studies and successful in your career.  

 

Prof. Bernhard