Academic FPGA based mechatronics microcontroller

A novel method of creating and implementing an academic mechatronics microcontroller is introduced. The current status of the mechatronics microcontroller for the mechanical engineering student is discussed emphasizing on its strengths and weaknesses. The is a stronger demand for mechanical engineering students to design and create a mechatronics system with increasing technology, however, the current method of implementing and designing the academic mechatronics microcontroller system for education cannot keep up with the ever changing technological trends. A method that retains the strengths of the current mechatronics microcontroller system, while at the same time meeting the challenges of the current disadvantages is needed to properly prepare the mechanical engineering student in mechatronics systems and design. Such a method is discussed and realized. This new method of designing and realizing the academic mechatronics microcontroller will not only be able to keep up with increasing technology, but also allow the mechanical engineering student to obtain comprehensive experience relating to the several engineering practices that encompass mechatronics concepts.