Mechatronics to Product Innovation: Evolution of a Master´s course

A course entitled `Mechatronics: Design and Build´ (MDB) was developed by the author and introduced to the Master´s of Science in Mechatronics Engineering Degree program at Southern Denmark University (SDU) in 2007. The Mechatronics Engineering programme can more accurately be described as a Engineering Science program - the intention of MDB being to introduce some of the interdisciplinary aspects of Mechatronics Engineering to master´s students. The `Motion Control of Mechatronic Devices´ was the original main theme though MDB has undergone an evolutionary process to (a) integrate some of the research themes of the Mads Clausen Institute as well as (b) trying to match the changing backgrounds and expectations of the Master´s students. Originally an elective course, chosen mainly by students with an engineering background, the development of a new programme in 2009 saw MDB become compulsory across the Master´s of Science in Mechatronics Degree. Additionally MDB became a compulsory component of another Master´s program - Master´s of Science in Innovation and Business. These changes have pushed MDB towards Product Innovation and Development with `classical´ mechatronics research projects now existing in parallel with product innovation and development projects in the project-based part of the course.