Combining Electrical & Mechanical Engineering with Computer Science?

[Alma]

Hello everyone,

To start, I am trying make a connection between my Engineering Interests and the majors college has to offer for them.

To help this discussion, this is what I like to do in my free time. I like to drawing, build things from random parts, learning how things work, etc. I really like to create things and come up with new concepts by drawing them out, and then attempting to build them out of cardboard, gears, plastic, whatever I can get my hands on. I also love computers, but have minimal programming experience; I would like to get more into it in the near future. I also have a big interest in flying.

I like how the mechanic’s work behind a machine, the electrical connections behind that mechanical machine, and also have been fascinated in the programming that controls and “tells” the electrical wires connecting to the mechanical parts to say, “lift the arm”. I like how robots work, but not just robots, but the interaction a robot could have with a human, or work with the human to, for example, give the human "extra strength" (so the robot and human acting as one unit). I also am very interested in getting something to fly, but I know this might be stretching the Engineering Fields to far for one profession ( and maybe I will just work with people in this field on various projects).

I would like to think what I described is a mixture of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Science that would make a robot “function” to a humans command.

This is where I struggle. Trying to find a good combination of these three fields of EE, ME, and computer science. But in any case, maybe specialize in “Robotics” and “Robotics and Control Systems for EE”; I am still in the process of researching these paths. Or possibly study the topic of Mechatronics, as I believe it deals with these three areas of interest. I thought these to be possible Engineering combinations:

1.Double Major in ME and EE with a minor in computer science(specializing in Robotics)

or

2.Double Major in Engineering Physics and Computer Science

My questions are:
a.From my interests, would either combinations of 1 or 2 be an adequate mix of Engineering fields? I’m open for suggestions.

b.How does Engineering Physics compare to separate EE and ME majors? Are EP majors at a disadvantage?

c. Is Mechatronics a good combonation of EE, ME, and Computer Science? I have read on the subject, but looking at it from different perspectives is helpful.

d.Anything you may want to add, or if you’re in these fields already, just your general input would be appreciated.

Thank you all very much for reading my post. Your thoughts and input are greatly appreciated.

 

[jsgruszynski]

Mechatronics is new enough that there is no sure or defined path to it. Having the two or three degrees certainly wouldn't be a bad idea. It may not be necessary if you have strong basic physics as an EE to pick up the mechanical and have programmed to pick up the CompSci. Or based on what sounds like your interests, do ME and pick up EE and CompSci knowledge on the side.

Until there is a "mechatronics" hybrid degree or "Mechatronic Engineering" it will stay a bit ambiguous.

Also there is typically subspecialties that embody most actual paying jobs. You'll work with an ME for the mechanical details while you might do the EE circuitry and also have a programmer for the CompSci. This is more typical unless you are in a start-up.

Be aware: academic training is at most 50% of what you ultimately need to be an engineer. Much is learned after the fact. Academia keeping up with the leading edge is akin to government doing so. For fast moving technologies, just an impossibility.

One suggestion: don't rely only on academic learning. Read trade journals in these areas religiously and also consult commercial company literature. Both of these are closer to "real world" and most relevant to understanding where the leading edge really is.

The point of the academic engineering learning is to enable you to adapt when the specific technologies of the day in your specialty are utterly obsoleted. This absolutely will happen in your career many times. You will be able to extrapolate from the data point of the past technology into the future based on theoretical knowledge you got in school. Folks who have only "technician" training in a specific tool will not be able to do this so easily and will have to start more nearly from scratch with each generation - knowledge is a bit more "rote".

I've been involved in some robotic work (I was involved in the design of a mechatronic product we engineered recently). I'm just an EE but I've done programming since I was 11 yo and my father was an ME so I absorbed a lot from him (I got all his college textbooks and read them cover-to-cover as a teen). So I'm more ad hoc in the ME & CompSci sides of it.

 

[evra]

i'll advice you to concentre on what you think you can do best and make your researches on the programme that suit your place(country). becareful of choosing a wrong career bro and a career at a wrong place.

 

[denks]

Until there is a "mechatronics" hybrid degree or "Mechatronic Engineering" it will stay a bit ambiguous.

Sorry for the slight tangent here, just that this point interests my current situation.

Is mechatronics engineering not a recognised engineering in the USA? Reason I ask is that I am in the early stages of a mechatronics engineering course in Australia - where it is recognised by our professional body Engineers Australia. My concern would be that if I ever wanted to move to the USA a mechatronics degree rather than electrical or mechanical might present problems. Maybe it would be better doing an EE or ME degree and loading up on electives from the other?

 

[aliaze1]

As a recent EE grad from one of the top schools in the US, here is what I have seen regarding mechatronics:

At my school, there were many EE's (and some CompE's) who focussed on robotics/mechatronics. All EE's are required to take Signal Processing at the school, but for those focusing on robotics, they would take additional courses Control Systems, more Signal Processing classes, Sensor Systems, Instrumentation, as well as specialized courses in Mechatronics and Robotics.

I have a friend who is a MechE who went into this area as well. He took a mechE controls course, and then took specialized courses in Mechatronics. He also took a few intermediate mechanics courses in the MechE and Physics departments.

All engineers have to take some sort of programming course, EE's at my school had to take a more rigorous course than the MechE's, and CompE's took additional courses in programming.

I am a bit biased, but I would say go with EE and take courses I mentioned above, as well as some mechanics courses (Statics, Dynamics, Strength of Materials, even advanced Physics if you really want to, etc). I have a friend who is a CompE who focused on Robotics, so I can ask her what she did, as well as my MechE friend. PM me if have specific questions. Also, if you PM me with what school you plan to go to/go to right now, perhaps I can give you more specific information based on my experience (if it is my school) or experience of others (got many friends who went to many schools)

 

[Moston-Duggan]

Denks if you are doing the mechatronics engineering at Monash your course incorporates all of the computer/electrical/mechanical engineering aspects.

And I believe the American system is a lot different from the Australia system when it comes to an engineering degree. I think that all engineers in America get a Bachelor of Engineering regardless of majors and have more freedom with subject selection where as in Australia we get Bachelor of Aero Eng or Mech Eng etc and have a fairly limited amount of subject freedom and hence there need to choose the required electives.

Disclaimer: I may be wrong about the american system but from internet research it seemed that way to me

 

[aliaze1]

I think that all engineers in America get a Bachelor of Engineering regardless of majors and have more freedom with subject selection where as in ...

In America, engineers get a "Bachelor of Science", which is specific to the subject, examples include:

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering,
Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering,
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering,
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering,
etc...

 

[denks]

Denks if you are doing the mechatronics engineering at Monash your course incorporates all of the computer/electrical/mechanical engineering aspects.

I'm doing it at UTS, like a lot of mechatronics eng in sydney uni's it is very closely related to mechanical (the actual degree is called a Bachelor of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering) but also includes a lot of electrical and some comp sci.