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From Meccano and Electronic Kits
to Mechatronics. How Did I Get Here
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I've been surrounded by wires for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I spent hours
playing with slot cars and building
with Meccano construction kits, some motorized, which sparked my early interest in how
things worked, both mechanically and electrically. My room slowly filled with wires, tools, and projects.
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Many of my uncles were into cars, and a few were actual mechanics. I loved listening to them talk. That
environment shaped me. I was just 8 or 9 when my grandmother handed me a broken radio and asked if I
could fix it. It wasn't a big issue, but I did fix it. Not long after, I started building electronic gadgets by following circuit diagrams
from the kits my father began buying me. I was hooked.
My first car had 300,000 miles when I bought it. Needless to say,
it needed work, but I fixed it up and it was back on the road in no time.
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Growing up, we always had a shed or some kind of workshop where I could tinker and get familiar with tools.
I'd fix bicycles, repair wooden carts, etc.,
and later I built a small carriage and a sleigh for my ponies,
complete with lights and an actual car radio. With a small group of resourceful friends, I also built a wooden go kart powered
by a chainsaw motor, and a year later, I began maintaining and repairing my own snowmobile (and sometimes my
neighbors') and motorcycles.
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By 16, I had my driver's license,
my first car to work on, and a part-time job at a local motorcycle and snowmobile repair shop.
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That same year, I also started working at a body shop during the summer while attending a technical school for
auto mechanics (it wasn't exactly easy getting in the program, but I did). I completely rebuilt a tractor engine
there and graduated at the top of my class by age 18. I had already
begun buying and working on my second and third cars, modifying and replacing engines and transmissions. I
also did an internship with an electric company maintaining electrician service trucks.
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This was my first actual mechanic toolbox at age 18. I've added a few decals over the years,
but I still have it today.
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After school, I moved through various shops, starting with heavy-duty truck maintenance and later
transferring to a newer, closer shop specialized in automatic transmissions and general mechanic.
Eventually, I returned to school to earn a bachelor's degree in social sciences, business administration,
and computerized statistical analysis using SPSS. That's when I got my first exposure to mainframe
computers and to what would soon become the public internet, ARPANET.
Screenshot of a Windows Mobile app I wrote in 2001-2002.
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By the early '90s, I developed my own network application for information distribution, years before the
web took off. In 1995, I got my first internet connection and started building websites and setting up
web servers for clients. This grew into building and repairing computers, and programming 3D virtual
environments, along with work in C, C++, Perl, JavaScript, PHP, Python, and Java. In the early 2000s,
I took advanced classes in digital computer logic and circuitry, and in the late
2000s, I began developing a multi-user virtual reality server system for the virtual world I had started
building a few years earlier.
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During that time, my hands weren't far from
cars. I continued maintaining my own, including a couple of classic vehicles I've owned for many years. I
also dabbled in drag racing at times. But my main focus was software and hardware until I realized the two
worlds were merging. Modern vehicles had become rolling computers.
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Screenshot of a multi-user virtual reality world featuring driveable cars, where I led both development
and business operations from 1997.
The project gradually tapered off after 2016 and continued on a limited basis until 2020.
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That was the spark. My background in automotive repair, combined with deep experience in computing and
networks, converged naturally. Even the 3D tech I once worked on closely parallels the foundations of
today's self-driving cars. I was also happy to return to a more physically active lifestyle.
Robot musician controlled by a microcontroller. Fun weekend project.
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I've always had an interest in music too, starting with organ and piano as a child, then later guitar and
playing in bands. So car audio is an important aspect of my work. I've also followed developments
in A.I. and robotics closely. All of this (mechanical, electrical, digital, and creative) comes
together for me in what is now known as mechatronics, which is the foundation of modern vehicles.
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Today, my work focuses on automotive electronics, but I'm looking to take on more advanced
robotics and machinery, such as the boom lift I diagnosed and repaired in the
field when it wouldn't come back down, as well as various types of manufacturing and
distribution systems. To me, it's all the same, regardless of the brand of vehicle or
equipment. It's mechatronics, and I've accumulated a wealth of knowledge through
formal education, shop and field experience, and years of self-learning.
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Cadillac infotainment failure diagnosed and repaired.
A bad capacitor was just one of the problems identified in this case.
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In short, I solve difficult
problems because I've worked across all the layers where they typically arise: mechanical,
electrical, and digital.
The boom was immobilized in a raised and rotated position due to hidden electrical faults in the control box
and a main harness, preventing it from being trailered until repairs were made.
Oscilloscopes are vital in modern automotive diagnostics, enabling technicians to analyze
electrical signals, communication protocols, sensor outputs, and even mechanical system
performance, helping to identify issues that span both electronics and mechanical components.
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Some issues can be incredibly complex, but by following proper procedures, finding solutions
becomes a structured process with a finite timeline, and as long as resolving them is
economically viable, I remain committed to the task. Although many items today aren't
designed to be repaired, my curiosity drives me to explore solutions and complete what I
start within a reasonable timeframe.
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I do it to stay active in my ever-evolving pursuit of knowledge. If it involves wires, electronics,
code, vehicles, or
moving parts, whether it's mechanical systems, microcontrollers, or computers, I can probably fix it.
Click to read about the emergence of automotive mechatronics.
If you'd like to see more about my work, I occasionally post updates on Facebook and other social media.
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