Understanding Smart Sensors - Nomads.usp

11Mechatronics and Sensing SystemsPeople are fascinated by what they can’t quite understand.—Michael Palin of Monty Python’s Flying Circus11.1 IntroductionTo achieve the highest level of smart sensing, the entire system essentially has tobecome a sensing system or an extension of sensing capability. The term mechatronicsis frequently used to describe subsystem design for a combination ofelectromechanical components. Computers or MCUs are an integral part ofmany mechatronic systems. Mechatronics has been defined as the synergisticcombination of precision mechanical engineering, electronic control, and thesystems approach for designing products and manufacturing processes [1].Mechatronics represents a higher level of sophistication and complexity, requiringdesigning at the interface of the electromechanical system. In some ways,mechatronics is similar to analog-to-digital interface, only more complex.Although engineers from different disciplines share their results on a particularprogram, they work with a less-than-perfect understanding of how their designdecisions affect the decisions of their counterparts. Mechatronics and otherapproaches, such as concurrent engineering, are attempting to understanddesign tradeoffs earlier in the design process to reduce design cycle time andensure that the final product meets the design criteria. Mechatronics combinedwith micromachining and smart sensors will enable complete microsystems tobe designed and fabricated in a single monolithic chip.249