Designing a Mechatronic System to Spread Optimism

Blog March 27, 2025, Second Week Honors Seminar

You wake up to a gentle vibration from your smartwatch, your blinds open automatically, and your coffee starts brewing—all before you’ve even left the bed. Sounds like luxury? It’s just everyday mechatronics at work. In this session, we explored a bold question: Can machines actually make us more optimistic? Mechatronic systems are all around us — quietly shaping our moods, easing our routines, and sometimes even restoring our hope in what’s possible. But what would it look like to design a system that spreads optimism on purpose?

To what extent are the systems around you “mechatronic” systems?

A mechatronic system is an integration of mechanical elements, electronics, and computer control, all working together to perform tasks efficiently and intelligently. In our seminar, we explored how these systems already shape our daily routines — and how they might be designed not just to function, but to inspire and uplift.

Rethinking technology through optimism

This week’s seminar, hosted by Prof. Claudia Meitinger, from the faculty of Electrical Engineering, focused on exploring how mechatronic systems can be intentionally designed to spread optimism. To encourage diverse perspectives, students from a range of disciplines were grouped together, blending engineering minds with creative, economic, and psychological viewpoints.

These colorful teams weren’t formed by chance—the professor used a custom “algorithm” involving smiley faces drawn on Butterbrotpapier to randomly assign students. Sometimes, the most analogue methods lead to the most dynamic collaborations!

To kick things off, each group used a visual framework (pictured above) to think through how interacting with technical systems an shape how we feel. The topics were drawn from everyday life and the workplace. They considered situations where interacting with or even just thinking about a technical system made them feel optimistic, happy, or even the opposite— then discussed why. This led to lively, sometimes surprising conversations. Can the Deutsche Bahn bring you joy? Does AI in form of ChatGPT push productivity — or laziness?

Some real thoughts of the students were: 

• “When thinking about the technical system “ESTER” I felt all the negative emotions because it is complex and unclear.”
• “When using the technical system “ChatGPT “I feel happy and inspired because it makes life easier.”

The big challenge came next:

Design a mechatronic system that spreads optimism!

The results were as imaginative as they were thoughtful — from smart glasses which detect your current mood and order the matching food, to a next-gen wheelchair designed for ultimate freedom — capable of flying through the air, gliding across water, and seamlessly transitioning between different terrains. The energy in the room was vibrant, and the discussion reminded everyone that optimism isn’t just a mindset — it’s something we can engineer into the world around us. 

Music: Pop Punk Rock by MagpieMusic, pixaby.com

What we learned about designing optimism

One of the biggest takeaways from this week was that not all machines bring joy—just ask anyone who’s battled with a stubborn printer. But that’s exactly where our exploration began.

Our students showed that mechatronic systems can be designed to uplift, inspire, and even spark joy. Thanks to the diverse mix of disciplines in each group, we saw incredibly creative interpretations of what it means to spread optimism. One standout idea was the anything-upcycling-machine: Drop in something you no longer need, and the machine transforms it into something new for your or even better, someone else. A small gesture — with a big emotional impact.

“AI-generated image using ChatGPT, March 2025.”

This session changed how we view optimism. We often think of it as just a mindset, but now we see that optimism can be built into technology. Mechatronics isn’t just about functionality— it’s about designing systems that improve lives, solve problems, and bring hope.

It also challenged our assumption that technology is neutral. In reality, systems reflect the intentions behind them. This discussion helped us realise: optimism isn’t just a feeling — it’s something we can actively create through innovation. We began with a shared definition:

“Optimist is a person who is inclined to be hopeful and to expect good outcomes.”

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/optimist

By the end of the session, it was clear that many of the student creations embodied that spirit. A powerful reminder:

0ptimism isn’t limited to people — it can be built into the systems around us!

What about you?

Have you ever thought about how the devices around you impact your mood? What would it look like to intentionally design the systems in your life to spark a little more joy, ease, or connection?

Optimism doesn’t have to be loud or dramatic — it can be built quietly into the tools we use, the routines we follow, and the choices we make.

So here’s the real question:

If you could design one mechatronic system to spread optimism, what would you create?

Authors: Oleksandra Ivchenko, Marco Runge, Jan Dietzel, Elena Spitzer

Designer & Blog Editor: Inna Melnik