The technical committee on mechatronics formed by the International Federation for the Theory of Machines and Mechanisms, in Prague, Czech Republic, adopted the following definition for the term: Mechatronics is the synergistic combination of precision mechanical engineering, electronic control and systems thinking in the design products and manufacturing process.Due to developments in powerful computers, including microprocessors and Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICS), computational techniques, diverse technologies, advances in the design process of products and other factors, the field of mechatronics has evolved as a highly powerful and most cost effective means for product realization.

Dr. Veera M. Boddu is a senior research engineer with in the Environmental Processes Branch at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, Champaign, Illinois. Dr. Boddu has over 20 yrs of research experience with focus on studying thermophysical properties of explosive materials, and developing innovative technologies for waste streams from Army manufacturing facilities and training lands. Dr. Boddu also conducts research on catalytic degradation of new insensitive munitions explosives on nanomaterials. Dr. Boddu has published more than 35 peer reviewed journal articles, 10 Army technical reports, and 3 patents. Dr. Boddu received his B. S. from National Institute of Technology, Warangal, India, an M. S. from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Missouri at Columbia, all in Chemical Engineering. He is a registered professional engineer in the state of Missouri and a board-certified environmental engineer. He is an adjunct professor in the Nuclear Science and Engineering Institute at the University of Missouri at Columbia.

Paul Redner is a senior chemical engineer with the Energetics Research Branch at the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command - Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (RDECOM-ARDEC), located at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey. Mr. Redner has over 11 years of research and management experience, ranging from the recrystallization and processing of high explosives such as RDX to the development of nanoscale and nanostructured materials for use in both energetic and non-energetic applications. He is currently the project officer for eight programs concentrating on the development and integration of advanced materials and nanotechnologies into Army weapons systems and spends the balance of his time performing business development duties for this technology area. Mr. Redner has published 40 peer-reviewed journal articles and has presented papers at over 36 national and international meetings. Mr. Redner received his BE in Environmental Engineering and ME in Chemical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey. He received his MBA from New York University – Stern School of Business, New York, New York.