Mechatronic Engineering
What is mechatronic engineering?
Mechatronics combines the disciplines of mechanical, electrical and electronic engineering. It is associated with the use of computers to control machines and processes. It is also used to create diverse products such as substitutes for human sensors and organs, and computer controlled machine tools.
Career opportunities
As a graduate, you will have the opportunity to work for large companies both in Australia and overseas. You could be involved in designing or producing anything from household appliances to specialised robots. The increasing amount of automation in the manufacturing industry also provides many opportunities for mechatronic engineers. Companies like Ford Australia, GMH Holden and Fisher Paykel rely on complex computer-controlled manufacturing systems.
You may prefer to create your own company to tackle special design projects in areas such as farming, food processing or energy systems.
Research opportunities
Mechatronic engineering is applied far more widely than just manufacturing. USQ is gaining a reputation as a leader in mechatronic engineering research through the work undertaken at the National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture (NCEA), which is located on campus at USQ. Research projects include:
- a vision-based guidance system for a tractor to allow it to 'steer' itself accurately
- artificially-intelligent systems to process and sort food products
- unmanned legged vehicles to enter and move through uneven and hazardous environments.