Local model predictive control experiences with differential driven wheeled mobile robots

This work extends a previously developed research concerning about the use of local model predictive control in differential driven mobile robots. Hence, experimental results are presented as a way to improve the methodology by considering aspects as trajectory accuracy and time performance. In this sense, the cost function and the prediction horizon are important aspects to be considered. The aim of the present work is to test the control method by measuring trajectory tracking accuracy and time performance. Moreover, strategies for the integration with perception system and path planning are briefly introduced. In this sense, monocular image data can be used to plan safety trajectories by using goal attraction potential fields

Mobile robot experimental modeling and control strategies using sensor fusion

This research work deals with the problem of modeling and design of low level speed controller for the mobile robot PRIM. The main objective is to develop an effective educational, and research tool. On one hand, the interests in using the open mobile platform PRIM consist in integrating several highly related subjects to the automatic control theory in an educational context, by embracing the subjects of communications, signal processing, sensor fusion and hardware design, amongst others. On the other hand, the idea is to implement useful navigation strategies such that the robot can be served as a mobile multimedia information point. It is in this context, when navigation strategies are oriented to goal achievement, that a local model predictive control is attained. Hence, such studies are presented as a very interesting control strategy in order to develop the future capabilities of the system. In this context the research developed includes the visual information as a meaningful source that allows detecting the obstacle position coordinates as well as planning the free obstacle trajectory that should be reached by the robot

Reconfigurable Architecture To Estimate The Motion Of An Underwater Vehicle

This work proposes a parallel architecture for a motion estimation algorithm. It is well known that image processing requires a huge amount of computation, mainly at low level processing where the algorithms are dealing with a great numbers of data-pixel. One of the solutions to estimate motions involves detection of the correspondences between two images. Due to its regular processing scheme, parallel implementation of correspondence problem can be an adequate approach to reduce the computation time. This work introduces parallel and real-time implementation of such low-level tasks to be carried out from the moment that the current image is acquired by the camera until the pairs of point-matchings are detected

Navegación, guiado y control de vehículos aeroespaciales

El objetivo del proyecto es diseñar una plataforma de ensayos para la simulación de vuelos de vehículos aeroespaciales. La plataforma permitirá diseñar y evaluar los algoritmos de navegación, guiado y control de los vehículos aeroespaciales modelados en la plataforma de simulación, focalizando el trabajo de los ingenieros en el modelado de vehículos y en el desarrollo de sistemas de control digital. La memoria recoge las fases de un proyecto de ingeniería del software, describiendo el plan de proyecto, el análisis del sistema, la especificación de requisitos y el diseño del mismo.

Interfície de control de una línia industrial automatitzada

Estudi seriós sobre les interfícies gràfiques destinades al sector industrial. En aquest sentit, s'analitza el perfil d'usuari o usuaris més freqüent en aquest sector (les seves característiques i les seves necessitats), es presenten i es descriuen diverses pautes de disseny i diversos elements gràfics que compleixen una sèrie de requisits predefinits, es procedeix a fer un muntatge d'exemple presentant una sèrie de pantalles (se n'explica i justifica el funcionament) i, per acabar, es proposa un mètode per a fer la validació del disseny, mètode que pot comportar modificacions sobre el disseny inicial.

Quantified set inversion with applications to control

This paper describes a new reliable method, based on modal interval analysis (MIA) and set inversion (SI) techniques, for the characterization of solution sets defined by quantified constraints satisfaction problems (QCSP) over continuous domains. The presented methodology, called quantified set inversion (QSI), can be used over a wide range of engineering problems involving uncertain nonlinear models. Finally, an application on parameter identification is presented

Engineering the thermal emission of macroporous silicon

Todos los cuerpos emiten luz espontaneamente al ser calentados. El espectro de radiacion es una funcion de la temperatura y el material. Sin embargo, la mayoria de los materiales irradia, en general, en una banda espectral amplia. Algunas matereiales, por el contrario, son capaces de concentrar la radiacion termica en una banda espectral mucho mas estrecha. Estos materiales se conocen como emisores selectivos y su uso tiene un profundo impacto en la eficiencia de sistemas sistemas tales como iluminacion y conversion de energia termofotovoltaica. De los emisores selectivos se espera que sean capaces de operar a altas temperaturas y que emitan en una banda espectral muy concisa. Uno de los metodos mas prometedores para controlar y disenar el espectro de emision termico es la utilizacion de cristales fotonicos. Los cristales fotonicos son estructuras periodicas artificiales capaces de controlar y confinar la luz de formas sin precedentes. Sin embargo, la produccion de dichas estructuras con grandes superficies y capaces de soportar altas temperaturas sigue siendo una dificil tarea. Este trabajo esta dedicada al estudio de las propiedades de emision termica de estructuras 3D de silicio macroporoso en el rango espectral mid-IR (2-30 m). En particular, este trabajo se enfoca en reducir la elevada emisividad del silicio cristalino. Las muestras estudiadas en este trabajo tienen una periodicidad de 4 m, lo que limitan los resultados obtenidos a la banda del infrarrojo medio, aunque estructuras mucho mas pequenas son tecnologicamente realizables con el metodo de fabricacion utilizado. Hemos demostrado que el silicio macroporoso 3D puede inhibir completamente la emision termica en su superficie. Mas aun, esta banda se puede ajustar en un amplio margen mediante pequenos cambios durante la formacion de los macroporos. Tambien hemos demostrado que tanto el ancho como la frecuencia de la banda de inhibicion se puede doblar mediante la aplicacion de tecnicas de postprocesado adecuadas. Finalmente hemos mostrado que es posible crear bandas de baja emisividad arbitrariamente anchas mediante estructuras macroporosas aperiodicas.

Semiactive backstepping control for vibration attenuation in structures equipped with magnetorheological actuatorscat

This paper deals with the problem of semiactive vibration control of civil engineering structures subject to unknown external disturbances (for example, earthquakes, winds, etc.). Two kinds of semiactive controllers are proposed based on the backstepping control technique. The experimental setup used is a 6-story test structure equipped with shear-mode semiactive magnetorheological dampers being installed in the Washington University Structural Control and Earthquake Engineering Laboratory (WUSCEEL). The experimental results obtained have verified the effectiveness of the proposed control algorithms

A mixed H2/H∞-based semiactive control for vibration mitigation in flexible structures

In this paper, we address this problem through the design of a semiactive controller based on the mixed H2/H∞ control theory. The vibrations caused by the seismic motions are mitigated by a semiactive damper installed in the bottom of the structure. It is meant by semiactive damper, a device that absorbs but cannot inject energy into the system. Sufficient conditions for the design of a desired control are given in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). A controller that guarantees asymptotic stability and a mixed H2/H∞ performance is then developed. An algorithm is proposed to handle the semiactive nature of the actuator. The performance of the controller is experimentally evaluated in a real-time hybrid testing facility that consists of a physical specimen (a small-scale magnetorheological damper) and a numerical model (a large-scale three-story building)

QFT control for vibration reduction in structures equipped with MR dampers

This short paper addresses the problem of designing a QFT (quantitative feedback theory) based controllers for the vibration reduction in a 6-story building structure equipped with shear-mode magnetorheological dampers. A new methodology is proposed for characterizing the nonlinear hysteretic behavior of the MR damper through the uncertainty template in the Nichols chart. The design procedure for QFT control design is briefly presented

RFID per al control de vehicles en àrees de trànsit restringit

En aquest projecte s'ha dissenyat un sistema informàtic per controlar els esdeveniments produïts per vehicles en zones de trànsit restringit i zones de càrrega i descàrrega. La tecnologia utilitzada és RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Vehicles). Pel que fa al maquinari del projecte, s'ha desenvolupat un sistema a partir d'una placa amb un microcontrolador. Amb aquesta placa es simulen els esdeveniments i s'envien a una màquina amb estructura PC via port Sèrie. Finalment, aquesta màquina processa els esdeveniments rebuts, i els envia a través de la xarxa Ethernet a un servidor central. Pel que fa al programari del projecte, s'ha dissenyat una aplicació web amb llenguatge PHP que processarà les dades rebudes des de la màquina via Ethernet. Un cop l'aplicació rep les dades dels esdeveniments, aquesta s'encarrega d'introduir-les a la base de dades, de manera que aquesta es mantingui actualitzada en tot moment. A més, aquesta aplicació ha de permetre consultar totes les dades sobre els esdeveniments produïts, de manera que es guardi un historial d'aquests

Theimpact of industry collaboration on research: Evidence from engineering academics in the UK

We study the impact of university-industry research collaborations on academicoutput, in terms of productivity and direction of research. We report findings froma longitudinal dataset on all the researchers from the engineering departments inthe UK in the last 20 years. We control for the endogeneity caused by the dynamicnature of research and the existence of reverse causality. Our results indicate thatresearchers with industrial links publish significantly more. Productivity, though,is higher for low levels of industry involvement. Moreover, growing ties with theindustry skew research towards a more applied approach.

Sistema de control per a línies de producció

Creació d'un sistema per al control d'una línia de producció des del punt de vista de l'enginyeria del programari.

A Model for Improving the Quality of Student Internship Placements in Engineering Degrees

Work Internship Placements (WIP) is a new and transversal enterprise internships programme, which is focused on quality improvement, academic control and satisfaction of collaborating enterprises. This programme is addressed to the engineering students of the PolytechnicSchool at the University of Girona (UdG) in Spain. The fundamental WIP infrastructure combines a web-based intranet platform, that provides a complete set of WIP tools, with a protocol of procedures and tasks that are observed and followed at all internship stages by every participating agent, i.e. enterprises, students, coaching professors and administrative staff. Our new programme is centered on a broader, more holistic internship placement procedure than the traditional “career and academic goals” approach. The WIP programme has been found to be a valuable asset in addressing enterprise and student needs in the experiential project

Control de dispositivos con Android

Este proyecto de final de carrera de la titulación de Ingeniería en Informática de Gestión consiste en el diseño y desarrollo de un sistema de control de dispositivos conectados a Raspberry Pi y gestionados desde un dispositivo Android. Se podrán llevar a cabo diferentes acciones como encender, apagar, programar la calefacción y consultar la temperatura actual remotamente desde un dispostivo conectado a la red wifi doméstica o desde de cualquier red que esté conectada a internet.