Reflection on Mechatronics Unit

Mechatronics is the combination of different engineering fields, including mechanical, eletrical, and programming. This past week, our class learned more about electronics through building and coding circuits from our SparkFun kits. Our teacher wanted us to learn about mechatronics so we could better understand how electricity powers the things we use all the time. I learned a lot about how electricity flows through the breadboard to light up the LEDs and how coding also plays a big factor in the process. I learned that everything, from wires to LEDs, had to be positioned on the breadboard in the correct place. If not, the circuit would not correctly function.

There were many postives and negatives that occured with this project. My favorite part of this unit was building the circuit. When I was younger, I used to build with LEGOs. Building the circuits reminded me so much of when I used to play with LEGOs. My least favorite part, on the otherhand, was having to answer the difficult questions afterwards. The unit was broken into 5 circuits and each one had a series of questions that were long and difficult. I wish we had more time to finish the questions. I also wish we would have worked as a class. Many of us could have understould the circuits and coding better by working together rather than having to rush to finish the project. If I could change one thing, I would recommend increasing the duration of the project to help with our understanding of the topics.

Overall, I really enjoyed this progect. I really enjoyed buildng the circuits and understanding how the mechatronics affect our everyday lives. I hope to have more building projects like this in the future.