147 research outputs found

    A Model-Based Development Environment for Rapid-Prototyping of Latency-Sensitive Automotive Control Software

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    The innovation in the field of automotive embedded systems has been increasingly relying on software-implemented functions. The control laws of these functions typically assume deterministic sampling rates and constant delays from input to output. However, on the target processors, the execution times of the software will depend on many factors such as the amount of interferences from other tasks, resulting in varying delays from sensing to actuating. Three approaches supported by tools, namely TrueTime, T-Res, and SimEvents, have been developed to facilitate the evaluation of how timing latencies affect control performance. However, these approaches support the simulation of control algorithms, but not their actual implementation. In this paper, we present a model interpretation engine running in a co-simulation environment to study control performances while considering the run-time delays in to account. Introspection features natively available facilitate the implementation of self-adaptive and fault-tolerance strategies to mitigate and compensate the run-time latencies. A DC servo controller is used as a supporting example to illustrate our approach. Experiments on controller tasks with injected delays show that our approach is on par with the existing techniques with respect to simulation. We then discuss the main benefits of our development approach that are the support for rapid-prototyping and the re-use of the simulation model at run-time, resulting in productivity and quality gains

    A real time operating system based test-bed for autonomous vehicle navigation

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    Research and experiments on ... Autonomous Navigation Schemes and Algorithms need an efficient test-bed for objective performance analysis. These algorithms often require sensor inputs from the systems such as the speed and steering sensors to apply feedback control action. An efficient test-bed provides status of all sensors and records of all previous sensor values is very desirable. This work involves developing for such a test-bed to support research on Autonomous Navigation schemes and Algorithms involved in these applications. Different approaches are analyzed and an optimum approach to design test-bed is implemented --Abstract, page iii

    Toward Building Hybrid Biological/in silico Neural Networks for Motor Neuroprosthetic Control

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    WOS: 000370402900001PubMed ID: 26321943In this article, we introduce the Bioinspired Neuroprosthetic Design Environment (BNDE) as a practical platform for the development of novel brain-machine interface (BMI) controllers, which are based on spiking model neurons. We built the BNDE around a hard real-time system so that it is capable of creating simulated synapses from extra-cellularly recorded neurons to model neurons. In order to evaluate the practicality of the BNDE for neuroprosthetic control experiments, a novel, adaptive BMI controller was developed and tested using real-time closed-loop simulations. The present controller consists of two in silico medium spiny neurons, which receive simulated synaptic inputs from recorded motor cortical neurons. In the closed-loop simulations, the recordings from the cortical neurons were imitated using an external, hardware-based neural signal synthesizer. By implementing a reward-modulated spike timing-dependent plasticity rule, the controller achieved perfect target reach accuracy for a two-target reaching task in one-dimensional space. The BNDE combines the flexibility of software-based spiking neural network (SNN) simulations with powerful online data visualization tools and is a low-cost, PC-based, and all-in-one solution for developing neurally inspired BMI controllers. We believe that the BNDE is the first implementation, which is capable of creating hybrid biological/in silico neural networks for motor neuroprosthetic control and utilizes multiple CPU cores for computationally intensive real-time SNN simulations.Bogazici University BAP Grants [10XD3]; Bogazici University Life Sciences and Technologies Research Center [09K120520]This research was supported by Bogazici University BAP Grants #10XD3 and Bogazici University Life Sciences and Technologies Research Center #09K120520

    Master of Science

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    thesisControl of a prosthetic device for amputees should be as natural as possible for optimal integration into daily use. A commonly used source of signal for the control of a prosthetic is the amputee's own electrical activity in muscles, known as electromyogram (EMG) readings. In order for these signals to be correctly interpreted to control the prosthetic, the intended effect of the signals must be understood. A device capable of applying forces and measuring the responses of a finger along a single axis was created with the purpose of gathering data about the mechanical behavior of the hand and relating it to the corresponding EMG signals. Using force and displacement sensors, each device can quantify the behavior of a fingertip. The device is designed such that multiple can be combined into an array for testing several fingers at once, which allows the gathering of complex force and motion data for an entire hand. Data gathered with this device are presented, in which the EMG data are used to predict force, and compared with the actual force. This initial comparison shows the device's ability to gather data which can improve understanding of the relation of EMG signals to complex motion of the fingers, which in turn will lead to a more natural control of prosthetic hands

    A Modified Bi-Quad Filter Tuning Strategy for Mechanical Resonance Suppression in Industrial Servo Drive Systems

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    Modeling and Control in Matlab for ABB's Control Builder

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    One problem when new controllers or control systems are built is the test of the controllers or the control systems. One way to test the controller is to build a real process to test the controller against. Another way to test the controller is to build the process-model in some kind of computer simulation tool. The advantages of using a simulation tool in a computer are quite many. For example it is often quicker to build the process-model in a computer than to build a real process. It is also often quicker and easier to change some parameters in a model built in a computer simulation tool, than to change the parameters in a real process. In this master thesis a lot of verifications are made to confirm if it is possible to make real-time simulations of process-models build in Matlab/Simulink, and controllers implemented in ABB's Soft Controller. The connection between the process-models in Matlab/Simulink and the controller, implemented in the Soft Controller, is made via ABB's commercial OPC-MMS Server, connected to the Soft Controller, and a Gateway application, connected between the OPC-MMS Server and Matlab/Simulink. The simulation work as it should if the user of this simulation tool is aware of the delays that will appear due to the different sampling stages of the system. The possibilities with this kind of simulations are that test of function blocks (FB) and control modules (CM) used in ABB's Control Builder can be made in an easy way. Another possibility is to show customers improvements that can be made in their control system. </p

    Architectural study of the design and operation of advanced force feedback manual controllers

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    A teleoperator system consists of a manual controller, control hardware/software, and a remote manipulator. It was employed in either hazardous or unstructured, and/or remote environments. In teleoperation, the main-in-the-loop is the central concept that brings human intelligence to the teleoperator system. When teleoperation involves contact with an uncertain environment, providing the feeling of telepresence to the human operator is one of desired characteristics of the teleoperator system. Unfortunately, most available manual controllers in bilateral or force-reflecting teleoperator systems can be characterized by their bulky size, high costs, or lack of smoothness and transparency, and elementary architectures. To investigate other alternatives, a force-reflecting, 3 degree of freedom (dof) spherical manual controller is designed, analyzed, and implemented as a test bed demonstration in this research effort. To achieve an improved level of design to meet criteria such as compactness, portability, and a somewhat enhanced force-reflecting capability, the demonstration manual controller employs high gear-ratio reducers. To reduce the effects of the inertia and friction on the system, various force control strategies are applied and their performance investigated. The spherical manual controller uses a parallel geometry to minimize inertial and gravitational effects on its primary task of transparent information transfer. As an alternative to the spherical 3-dof manual controller, a new conceptual (or parallel) spherical 3-dof module is introduced with a full kinematic analysis. Also, the resulting kinematic properties are compared to those of other typical spherical 3-dof systems. The conceptual design of a parallel 6-dof manual controller and its kinematic analysis is presented. This 6-dof manual controller is similar to the Stewart Platform with the actuators located on the base to minimize the dynamic effects. Finally, a combination of the new 3-dof and 6-dof concepts is presented as a feasible test-bed for enhanced performance in a 9-dof system

    DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF AN OMNIDIRECTIONAL MOBILE BASE FOR A SOCIAL ROBOT

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    Master'sMASTER OF ENGINEERIN

    Design and implementation of the PALM-3000 real-time control system

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    This paper reflects, from a computational perspective, on the experience gathered in designing and implementing realtime control of the PALM-3000 adaptive optics system currently in operation at the Palomar Observatory. We review the algorithms that serve as functional requirements driving the architecture developed, and describe key design issues and solutions that contributed to the system's low compute-latency. Additionally, we describe an implementation of dense matrix-vector-multiplication for wavefront reconstruction that exceeds 95% of the maximum sustained achievable bandwidth on NVIDIA Geforce 8800GTX GPU
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