Design News Launches Industry's First Online Community Dedicated to Mechatronics


'Mechatronics Zone' Microsite Offers Definitive Resource on this Growing Design Discipline

WALTHAM, Mass., Jan. 31 -- Design News, a leading news resource for design engineers, is launching the first online community dedicated to the growing discipline of mechatronics, the integration of mechanics, electronics, computers and control systems in design. The Mechatronics Zone microsite features the only definitive, in-depth resource on the topic including editorial from Design News and Reed Business Information publications EDN and Control Engineering, as well as content from sponsors Microchip Technology Inc., National Instruments and UGS Corp, and university partner Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). Divided into six, easy-to- view zones -- Top Stories, Webcasts, Blogs, ToolBox, Mechatronics Fundamentals, and a monthly eNewsletter --, the site provides practical advice, applications and tools for engineers to put mechatronics to work in innovative product design and development.

"The majority of our readers are applying mechatronics to a growing number of design projects and are seeking a strong community of resources that keeps them up-to-date and connected on the latest innovations in mechatronics," said Joan Kelly, publisher, Design News.

Highlights of the current Mechatronics Zone site are:

o"Mechatronics: 21st Century Design Engineering" Videocast: Dr. Kevin
Craig, professor of mechanical engineering at RPI in Troy, N.Y., presents
information on system design integration and assessment as well as case
studies on mechatronic design from prototype to deployment.

o"Rehab System Targets Spinal Cord Injuries" Application: Design News
contributor John Williamson writes how mechatronics principles come
together in a motorized device that exercises patients, while easing
burdens on physical therapists.

oMechatronics Blog: Kevin Craig offers his expert views on everything from
why mechatronics holds the key to 21st century design success to the
design benefits of modeling and the need for better partnerships between
universities and industry.

oDiscussion Forum on Mechatronics: Sponsored by Microchip, this forum
supports more than 70 topics on the subject.

oMechatronics Webcasts on Demand: Access a full lineup of presentations on
LabVIEW tools, as well as many design and control applications from
National Instruments.

o"Secrets to Success in Mechatronics" White Paper: View this Aberdeen
Group benchmarking report on essential steps that top companies take to
implement mechatronics (sponsored by UGS Corp.).

oA Glimpse of "Mechatronics in Action" Videos: Connect to the latest RPI
videos on mechatronics, including the development of a human transporter
to rival the Segway.

New content will be added to Mechatronics Zone on an ongoing basis. Design News is continuing its video and audiocast series on Mechatronics with three new topics in 2007 which will be posted on the Mechatronics Zone microsite. The first in the series, entitled, "Unleashing the Internal Combustion Engine Through Mechatronics" and hosted by Dr. Craig, will air in February 2007.

The Mechatronics Zone site can be accessed at the following link: www.designnews.com/mechatronicszone. Visitors can also sign up for mechatronics news feeds and blog postings via Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds and subscribe to the mechatronics eNewsletter.

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Source: Design News

CONTACT: Kim Novino, Bridgeman Communications, +1-617-742-7270, or kim@bridgeman.com, for Design News

Web site: http://www.designnews.com/mechatronicszone
http://www.reedbusiness.com/

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