New UWindsor ‘mechatronic’ program aims to engineer ‘easier living’

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Robots around the home, fridges that write grocery lists and self-driving cars. 

Developing and expanding the constantly evolving technology that makes life easier — and making that tech easier to use — will be the focus of the University of Windsor’s newest Mechatronic Systems Engineering (MSE) program. 

Sure, the technology for self-driving cars and how to make them will be covered. But Faculty of Engineering dean Bill Van Heyst said the new program, starting next fall, is also about rooting life-enhancing technology into the “everyday system,” and making it more intuitive. 

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Think of the advancement from car keys to remote fobs, and how simple the latest technology is to use. 

“Another great example is a fridge,” said Van Heyst. “You can get fridges now that scan your products as you go in and create a shopping list for you. Personally, I don’t need that. But you can.” 

The industry is changing quite rapidly

Applications are now open for the fall 2025 semester start of the new undergraduate program that integrates mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering, UWindsor announced Tuesday.  

The university said potential career paths coming out of the program will include automation engineering, controls engineering, electro-mechanical systems engineering, robotics engineering, automotive and aerospace engineering, and manufacturing engineering.  

“Mechatronic systems are shaping the future, integrating across sectors from health care to automotive,” said Van Heyst. “With this program, we’re responding to the growing demand for engineers who understand these converging technologies and can lead in automation and intelligent systems.” 

The program will include the two “high-demand specializations” of autonomous vehicles and intelligent manufacturing, both providing vital skills for machine learning, artificial intelligence, and computer vision techniques. 

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But UWindsor said the program is for any student who wants a role in the creation of advanced technologies and intelligent systems, wherever that may be.  

With the coming NextStar Energy battery plant and all that will sprout up in support of it, Van Heyst there is a need in Windsor-Essex for more advanced understanding of the mechatronics field. The local greenhouse sector is another area seeing great technological changes, he said.

“The greenhouse sector is using a lot more automation than a lot of people realize, and they need the engineers to support that growth as well,” said Van Heyst. 

If graduates don’t move into one of those sectors, they might instead focus on cybernetic systems, MRI machines, or smart household devices. 

“The industry is changing quite rapidly, not just in terms of how we use robots to manufacture things, but how we imbed electronics into our everyday systems,” said Van Heyst. 

“Technology is very much becoming part of our everyday lives for the sake of easier living or a lifestyle that is less work for us.” 

For more information about Mechatronic Systems Engineering (MSE), and to apply for the program, go to future.uwindsor.ca. 

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