with the load or physical environment. In addition, we will look at the electronic components that are essential for modulating the necessary electrical energy. From an energy perspective, a mechatronic system can be separated into a relatively higher energy (power) portion that interacts with the physical world and a relatively low energy (power) portion that process the data, see Fig. 20.1. Sensor and actuators are the interfacing devices that accomplish the tasks of energy modulation and energy conversion. Therefore, an actuator can be viewed as having the structure depicted in Fig. 20.2. Typically, actuators are considered only as energy conversion devices. However, with the proliferation of power electronics, we will take a more inclusive view of actuators that also includes power amplification. An electrohydraulic linear actuator, see Fig. 20.3, can also be similarly classified, where the spool valve is the power amplification/modulation block with spool position as the FIGURE 20.1 Mechatronic system. FIGURE 20.2 Actuator functional diagram. FIGURE 20.3 Electrohydraulic and electromechanical actuators. Physical Process Operator Interface High Power Low Power Physical Process Physical Process mixture of mechanical, fluid, thermal, chemical, electrical components/subsystems Information Processing Electronics, Software Communication Actuators Power Modulation, Energy Conversion Sensors Energy Conversion, Signal Processing Energy Conversion Energy Conversion Control Signal Load Environment Actuator Low Power High Power Unmodulated energy source Power Amplification & Modulation Energy Conversion LOAD + V LOAD Energy Conversion Power Amplification & Modulation Low Energy Control Signal Ps 0066_Frame_C20 Page 2 Wednesday, January 9, 2002 5:41 PM ©2002 CRC Press LLC with the load or physical environment. In addition, we will look at the electronic components that are essential for modulating the necessary electrical energy. From an energy perspective, a mechatronic system can be separated into a relatively higher energy (power) portion that interacts with the physical world and a relatively low energy (power) portion that process the data, see Fig. 20.1. Sensor and actuators are the interfacing devices that accomplish the tasks of energy modulation and energy conversion. Therefore, an actuator can be viewed as having the structure depicted in Fig. 20.2. Typically, actuators are considered only as energy conversion devices. However, with the proliferation of power electronics, we will take a more inclusive view of actuators that also includes power amplification. An electrohydraulic linear actuator, see Fig. 20.3, can also be similarly classified, where the spool valve is the power amplification/modulation block with spool position as the FIGURE 20.1 Mechatronic system. FIGURE 20.2 Actuator functional diagram. FIGURE 20.3 Electrohydraulic and electromechanical actuators. Physical Process Operator Interface High Power Low Power Physical Process Physical Process mixture of mechanical, fluid, thermal, chemical, electrical components/subsystems Information Processing Electronics, Software Communication Actuators Power Modulation, Energy Conversion Sensors Energy Conversion, Signal Processing Energy Conversion Energy Conversion Control Signal Load Environment Actuator Low Power High Power Unmodulated energy source Power Amplification & Modulation Energy Conversion LOAD + V LOAD Energy Conversion Power Amplification & Modulation Low Energy Control Signal Ps 0066_Frame_C20 Page 2 Wednesday, January 9, 2002 5:41 PM ©2002 CRC Press LLC . Conversion Power Amplification & Modulation Low Energy Control Signal Ps 0066_Frame_C20 Page 2 Wednesday, January 9, 20 02 5:41 PM 20 02 CRC Press LLC with the load or physical environment. In addition, we will. Conversion Power Amplification & Modulation Low Energy Control Signal Ps 0066_Frame_C20 Page 2 Wednesday, January 9, 20 02 5:41 PM 20 02 CRC Press LLC . see Fig. 20 .3, can also be similarly classified, where the spool valve is the power amplification/modulation block with spool position as the FIGURE 20 .1 Mechatronic system. FIGURE 20 .2 Actuator