Abstract: This talk introduces the trend in Mechatronics education at the Engineering Faculty of Middle East Technical University (METU), which will be initiated as a Mechatronics Minor Program (MMP) in Fall 2000. It has its foundations based on a multi-disciplinary International Virtual Design Studio (MIVDS) course as a capstone design senior project, which is in progress since 1996. The motivation behind this trend is the strong preferences put by the industries towards engineers having a basic knowledge on mechatronic design techniques and design elements such as sensors, actuators and microprocessors. Engineering Faculty of the Middle East Technical University is planning to achieve this new profile of engineers by introducing the interdisciplinary mechatronics minor program. The working philosophy of this effort is that the mechatronics material will be integrated initially into the existing disciplinary programs of Mechanical, Electrical, Computer and Aeronautical Engineering Departments. Students from these departments interested in the mechatronics speciality along with their professions will be offered a composition of interdisciplinary courses. Students who will successfully complete the program will be given a certificate of mechatronics in addition to their disciplinary degrees.

Speaker Biography: Aydan M Erkmen received her B.Sc. from Bogazici University Istanbul Turkey in Electrical Engineering and Mathematics. She was awarded the M.Sc. in ECE from Drexel University , Philadelphia PA USA in 1981 and the Ph.D. in information technology and engineering from George Mason University Fairfax VA USA in 1989. She joined the Electrical Engineering of Middle East Technical University (METU) Ankara Turkey in 1989 where she is currently an associate professor. Dr Erkmen’s current research interests include mechatronic design automation, intelligent integrated control of robot hands from preshaping to manipulation, intelligent sensor fusion, rough sets and learning rough controllers in robotic applications such as colony behavior control of holonic robots.
She co-pioneered the series of International Workshops on Mechatronic Design and Modeling (MDM), She is the co-editor of the International Journal on Intelligent Mechatronics:Design and Production (IJIM) and the associate editor of the International Journal of Robotics and Automation since Jan 2000. She also serving in the editorial board of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine since Jan 2000. She has held a four-year elected post at the TUBITAK Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, Electric Electronics and Informatics Grant Committee which is a national funding agency approximately equivalent to NSF. Dr Erkmen is beginning her second term on the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) Administrative Committee. She is also the co-chair of the IEEE RAS Education Committee, immediate past secretary/treasurer of the IEEE Turkey Section and the counselor of the IEEE METU Student Branch which was recognized as Best Student Branch of the IEEE Region 8 in 1998 and the IEEE Best Worldwide Student Branch in 1999. Dr Erkmen was the recipient of the 1999 Achievement Award in METU in June 2000.

Abstract: The word “Mechatronics” arised from a Japanese manufacturing company, that would be the most fit to expressing the key characteristics of technology that could create and manufacture a variety of new “mechatronics products” eventually prevailed over the world.  However, in Japanese academia teaching of mechatronics has not been investigated seriously and even in engineering education establishment professional training courses for mechatronics has progressed slowly in a few universities.  This report summarizes the technological history of mechatronics in Japan, the review of current state of mechatronics-related education in both universities and industries, and the reason warranting a proposal of establishment of new mechatronics-related courses or departments in universities.

Speaker Biography: Suguru Arimoto was born on 3 August 1936 in Hiroshima, Japan.  He received B.S. degree in Mathematics from Kyoto University, Japan, in 1959 and Dr. Eng. Degree in control engineering from the University of Tokyo, Japan, in 1967.  From 1959 to 1961 he was with Oki Electric Industry Co. Ltd., Tokyo, as an engineer in Electric Computer Department.  From 1962 to 1967 he was Research Assistant, and from 1967 to 1968 Lecturer in the Department of Mathematical Engineering and Information Physics, the University of Tokyo. In 1968 he joined the Faculty of Engineering Science at Osaka University, Osaka, Japan, as Associate Professor, and in 1973 he was promoted to Professor of Systems Engineering.  In 1988 he was invited to join the University of Tokyo as Professor of the Department of Mathematical Engineering and Information Physics.  In 1997 he retired from the University of Tokyo and moved to Ritsumeikan University, where he contributed to establishment of a new department.  Since 1997 he has been Professor in the Department of Robotics.  His research interests are in information theory, control theory, cybernetics, robotics, and machine intelligence.  He is IEEE Fellow (1983) and IEICE Fellow (2000), and was awarded the national medal with a purple ribbon from the Japanese government in 2000 and the IEEE third Millennium Medal from the IEEE in 2000.

11:30-11:50
Discussion