Mechatronics

Mechatronics is the combination of mechanical engineering, electronic engineering and software engineering. The purpose of this interdisciplinary engineering field is the study of automata from an engineering perspective and serves the purposes of controlling advanced hybrid systems. The word itself is a portmanteau of 'Mechanics' and 'Electronics'.

Description
Aerial Venn diagram from RPI's website describes the various fields that make up Mechatronics
Mechatronics is centred on mechanics, electronics, control engineering, computing, molecular engineering (from nanochemistry and biology) which, combined, make possible the generation of simpler, more economical, reliable and versatile systems. The portmanteau "Mechatronics" was first coined by Mr. Tetsuro Mori, a senior engineer of the Japanese company Yaskawa, in 1969. Mechatronics may alternatively be referred to as "electromechanical systems" or less often as "control and automation engineering".
Engineering cybernetics deals with the question of control engineering of mechatronic systems. It is used to control or regulate such a system (see control theory). Through collaboration the mechatronic modules perform the production goals and inherit flexible and agile manufacturing properties in the production scheme. Modern production equipment consists of mechatronic modules that are integrated according to a control architecture. The most known architectures involve hierarchy, polyarchy, hetaerachy (often misspelled as heterarchy) and hybrid. The methods for achieving a technical effect are described by control algorithms, which may or may not utilize formal methods in their design. Hybrid-systems important to Mechatronics include production systems, synergy drives, planetary exploration rovers, automotive subsystems such as anti-lock braking systems, spin-assist and every day equipment such as autofocus cameras, video, hard disks, CD-players, washing machines.