From grading and preparing harvested vegetables to the tactile probing of a patient’s innermost recesses, mechatronics has become part of our way of life. This cutting-edge volume features the 30 best papers of the 13th International Conference on Mechatronics and Machine Vision in Practice. Although there is no shortage of theoretical and technical detail in these chapters, they have a common theme in that they describe work that has been applied in practice.

The many intriguing examples on the application of mechatronics reinforce the excitement of this creative field of technology. As a collection they present a stimulating resource to developers of future mechatronics technology, and to educators searching for interesting examples. From structured-light measurement of the build-up of detritus on railway bogies and detection of uncracked spores of Chinese medicine to a practical tractor vision guidance system embedded in a smart-phone application, the practical applications of mechatronics and machine vision abound. Fruits are counted on the tree, pasture biomass is measured and a robot collects camel dung as a resource. 3D printing is in vogue, but papers here discuss the construction and strategy of the printer itself. The measurement and analysis of myoelectric muscle signals enable a prosthesis to be controlled and a feeding robot is used for patient care. An exoskeleton has both soft and rigid links and an optical sensor analyses the tissue into which a surgical needle is being inserted. These are some of the papers in this collection from the 26th annual conference on Mechatronics and Machine Vision in Practice, carefully selected to exclude papers that are merely theoretical and to highlight those that show practical verification. Papers have been contributed from China, New Zealand, the Philippines, Emirates, Germany and of course Australia.

In contrast with previous books on mechatronics and machine vision in practice, a significant number of chapters focus on systems designed for human interaction and deciphering human motion. Examples illustrate assistive actuation of hip joints, the augmentation of touch sense in artificial hand prostheses and helping stroke survivors in repetitive motion therapy. Interactive mechatronics and the experience of developing machine interfaces has enabled an examination of how we use mechatronics in the service of training, and even to consider why computer games perhaps appear to capture attention so much more readily than a human instructor! Mechatronics continues to be an exciting and developing field. It is now an essential part of our world and living experience. This and the previous books in this series illustrate the journey in developing the use of mechatronics so far. We anticipate that you will find the chapters here an equal source of inspiration for new devices to solve the challenges of new applications, and of course as a resource for teaching and inspiring the new generation of mechatronics engineers.

The field of mechatronics (which is the synergistic combination of precision mechanical engineering, electronic control and systems thinking in the design of products and manufacturing processes) is gaining much attention in industries and academics. It was detected that the topics of computer vision, control and robotics are imperative for the successful of mechatronics systems. This book includes several chapters which report successful study cases about computer vision, control and robotics. The readers will have the latest information related to mechatronics, that contains the details of implementation, and the description of the test scenarios.

The contributions for this book have been gathered over several years from conferences held in the series of Mechatronics and Machine Vision in Practice, the latest of which was held in Ankara, Turkey. The essential aspect is that they concern practical applications rather than the derivation of mere theory, though simulations and visualization are important components. The topics range from mining, with its heavy engineering, to the delicate machining of holes in the human skull or robots for surgery on human flesh. Mobile robots continue to be a hot topic, both from the need for navigation and for the task of stabilization of unmanned aerial vehicles. The swinging of a spray rig is damped, while machine vision is used for the control of heating in an asphalt-laying machine. Manipulators are featured, both for general tasks and in the form of grasping fingers. A robot arm is proposed for adding to the mobility scooter of the elderly. Can EEG signals be a means to control a robot? Can face recognition be achieved in varying illumination?"

Mechatronics is the blending of mechanics, electronics and computer control into an integrated design. It is the basis of an expanding list of products and techniques of great technical and commercial value. Ideas that were merely visions in the laboratory have emerged to find real applications in areas of vehicle guidance, robot aided inspection and agriculture. Low cost cameras developed for multimedia applications offer a whole new field of low-cost vision-based control through their ease of interfacing.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) serves as a catalyst for transformation in the field of digital teaching and learning by introducing novel solutions to revolutionize all dimensions of the educational process, leading to individualized learning experiences, teachers playing a greater role as mentors, and the automation of all administrative processes linked to education. AI and machine learning are already contributing to and are expected to improve the quality of the educational process by providing advantages such as personalized and interactive tutoring with the ability to adjust the content and the learning pace of each individual student while assessing their performance and providing feedback. These shifts in the educational paradigm have a profound impact on the quality and the way we live, interact with each other, and define our values. Thus, there is a need for an earnest inquiry into the cultural repercussions of this phenomenon that extends beyond superficial analyses of AI-based applications in education. Revolutionizing Education in the Age of AI and Machine Learning addresses the need for a scholarly exploration of the cultural and social impacts of the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence in the field of education including potential consequences these impacts could have on culture, social relations, and values. The content within this publication covers such topics as AI and tutoring, role of teachers, physical education and sports, interactive E-learning and virtual laboratories, adaptive curricula development, support critical thinking, and augmented intelligence and it is designed for educators, curriculum developers, instructional designers, educational software developers, education consultants, academicians, administrators, researchers, and professionals.