Model-Based Control Techniques for Automotive Applications

Two different topics are covered in the thesis. Model Predictive Control applied to the Motion Cueing Problem In the last years the interest about dynamic driving simulators is increasing and new commercial solutions are arising. Driving simulators play an important role in the development of new vehicles and advanced driver assistance devices: in fact, on the one hand, having a human driver on a driving simulator allows automotive manufacturers to bridge the gap between virtual prototyping and on-road testing during the vehicle development phase; on the other hand, novel driver assistance systems (such as advanced accident avoidance systems) can be safely tested by having the driver operating the vehicle in a virtual, highly realistic environment, while being exposed to hazardous situations. In both applications, it is crucial to faithfully reproduce in the simulator the driver's perception of forces acting on the vehicle and its acceleration. This has to be achieved while keeping the platform within its limited operation space. Such strategies go under the name of Motion Cueing Algorithms. In this work, a particular implementation of a Motion Cueing algorithm is described, that is based on Model Predictive Control technique. A distinctive feature of such approach is that it exploits a detailed model of the human vestibular system, and consequently differs from standard Motion Cueing strategies based on Washout Filters: such feature allows for better implementation of tilt coordination and more efficient handling of the platform limits. The algorithm has been evaluated in practice on a small-size, innovative platform, by performing tests with professional drivers. Results show that the MPC-based motion cueing algorithm allows to effectively handle the platform working area, to limit the presence of those platform movements that are typically associated with driver motion sickness, and to devise simple and intuitive tuning procedures. Moreover, the availability of an effective virtual driver allows the development of effective predictive strategies, and first simulation results are reported in the thesis. Control Techniques for a Hybrid Sport Motorcycle Reduction of the environmental impact of transportation systems is a world wide priority. Hybrid propulsion vehicles have proved to have a strong potential to this regard, and different four-wheels solutions have spread out in the market. Differently from cars, and even if they are considered the ideal solution for urban mobility, motorbikes and mopeds have not seen a wide application of hybrid propulsion yet, mostly due to the more strict constraints on available space and driving feeling. In the thesis, the problem of providing a commercial 125cc motorbike with a hybrid propulsion system is considered, by adding an electric engine to its standard internal combustion engine. The aim for the prototype is to use the electrical machine (directly keyed on the drive shaft) to obtain a torque boost during accelerations, improving and regularizing the supplied power while reducing the emissions. Two different control algorithms are proposed 1) the first is based on a standard heuristic with adaptive features, simpler to implement on the ECU for the prototype; 2) the second is a torque-split optimal-control strategy, managing the different contributions from the two engines. A crucial point is the implementation of a Simulink virtual environment, realized starting from a commercial tool, VI-BikeRealTime, to test the algorithms. The hybrid engine model has been implemented in the tool from scratch, as well as a simple battery model, derived directly from data-sheet characteristics by using polynomial interpolation. The simulation system is completed by a virtual rider and a tool for build test circuits. Results of the simulations on a realistic track are included, to evaluate the different performance of the two strategies in a closed loop environment (thanks to the virtual rider). The results from on-track tests of the real prototype, using the first control strategy, are reported too

Contributions to shared control and coordination of single and multiple robots

L’ensemble des travaux présentés dans cette habilitation traite de l'interface entre un d'un opérateur humain avec un ou plusieurs robots semi-autonomes aussi connu comme le problème du « contrôle partagé ».Le premier chapitre traite de la possibilité de fournir des repères visuels / vestibulaires à un opérateur humain pour la commande à distance de robots mobiles.Le second chapitre aborde le problème, plus classique, de la mise à disposition à l’opérateur d’indices visuels ou de retour haptique pour la commande d’un ou plusieurs robots mobiles (en particulier pour les drones quadri-rotors).Le troisième chapitre se concentre sur certains des défis algorithmiques rencontrés lors de l'élaboration de techniques de coordination multi-robots.Le quatrième chapitre introduit une nouvelle conception mécanique pour un drone quadrirotor sur-actionné avec pour objectif de pouvoir, à terme, avoir 6 degrés de liberté sur une plateforme quadrirotor classique (mais sous-actionné).Enfin, le cinquième chapitre présente une cadre général pour la vision active permettant, en optimisant les mouvements de la caméra, l’optimisation en ligne des performances (en terme de vitesse de convergence et de précision finale) de processus d’estimation « basés vision »

Trajectory solutions for a game-playing robot using nonprehensile manipulation methods and machine vision

The need for autonomous systems designed to play games, both strategy-based and physical, comes from the quest to model human behaviour under tough and competitive environments that require human skill at its best. In the last two decades, and especially after the 1996 defeat of the world chess champion by a chess-playing computer, physical games have been receiving greater attention. Robocup TM, i.e. robotic football, is a well-known example, with the participation of thousands of researchers all over the world. The robots created to play snooker/pool/billiards are placed in this context. Snooker, as well as being a game of strategy, also requires accurate physical manipulation skills from the player, and these two aspects qualify snooker as a potential game for autonomous system development research. Although research into playing strategy in snooker has made considerable progress using various artificial intelligence methods, the physical manipulation part of the game is not fully addressed by the robots created so far. This thesis looks at the different ball manipulation options snooker players use, like the shots that impart spin to the ball in order to accurately position the balls on the table, by trying to predict the ball trajectories under the action of various dynamic phenomena, such as impacts. A 3-degree of freedom robot, which can manipulate the snooker cue on a par with humans, at high velocities, using a servomotor, and position the snooker cue on the ball accurately with the help of a stepper drive, is designed and fabricated. [Continues.

Advanced Sensing and Control for Connected and Automated Vehicles

Connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) are a transformative technology that is expected to change and improve the safety and efficiency of mobility. As the main functional components of CAVs, advanced sensing technologies and control algorithms, which gather environmental information, process data, and control vehicle motion, are of great importance. The development of novel sensing technologies for CAVs has become a hotspot in recent years. Thanks to improved sensing technologies, CAVs are able to interpret sensory information to further detect obstacles, localize their positions, navigate themselves, and interact with other surrounding vehicles in the dynamic environment. Furthermore, leveraging computer vision and other sensing methods, in-cabin humans’ body activities, facial emotions, and even mental states can also be recognized. Therefore, the aim of this Special Issue has been to gather contributions that illustrate the interest in the sensing and control of CAVs