ABSTRACT
The role played by electrical and electronic engineering in mechanical systems has dramatically increased in importance in the past two decades, thanks to advances in integrated circuit electronics and in materials that have permitted the integration of sensing, computing, and actuation technology into industrial systems and consumer products. Examples of this integration revolution, which has been referred to as a new field called mechatronics, can be found in consumer electronics (auto-focus cameras, printers, microprocessor-controlled appliances), in industrial automation, and in transportation systems, most notably in passenger vehicles. The aim of this chapter is to review and summarize the foundations of electrical engineering for the purpose of providing the practicing mechanical engineer a quick and useful reference to the different fields of electrical engineering. Special emphasis has been placed on those topics that are likely to be relevant to product design.
