I cannot run engineering simulations on the iPad itself, though I can use it to run them on my PC and control it all on my iPad. This is a good enough comprise for me!
Well, I can't mow the lawn or rip a cherry board for a furniture project; but maybe in the next iPad?
Assumption. You could rig an iPad for remote control of a lawn mower and put a couple of cameras on it. Bean the video back to your iPad....