Improved electromechanical master-slave manipulator

Electric master-slave manipulator uses force multiplication and allows the operator to remotely control the slave arm. Both the master and slave arms execute seven distinct motions by a specially designed force-reflecting servo having a one to one correspondence between the motion at the master and slave

System for simultaneously loading program to master computer memory devices and corresponding slave computer memory devices

A bus programmable slave module card for use in a computer control system is disclosed which comprises a master computer and one or more slave computer modules interfacing by means of a bus. Each slave module includes its own microprocessor, memory, and control program for acting as a single loop controller. The slave card includes a plurality of memory means (S1, S2...) corresponding to a like plurality of memory devices (C1, C2...) in the master computer, for each slave memory means its own communication lines connectable through the bus with memory communication lines of an associated memory device in the master computer, and a one-way electronic door which is switchable to either a closed condition or a one-way open condition. With the door closed, communication lines between master computer memory (C1, C2...) and slave memory (S1, S2...) are blocked. In the one-way open condition invention, the memory communication lines or each slave memory means (S1, S2...) connect with the memory communication lines of its associated memory device (C1, C2...) in the master computer, and the memory devices (C1, C2...) of the master computer and slave card are electrically parallel such that information seen by the master's memory is also seen by the slave's memory. The slave card is also connectable to a switch for electronically removing the slave microprocessor from the system. With the master computer and the slave card in programming mode relationship, and the slave microprocessor electronically removed from the system, loading a program in the memory devices (C1, C2...) of the master accomplishes a parallel loading into the memory devices (S1, S2...) of the slave

Anticipated synchronization and the predict-prevent control method in the FitzHugh-Nagumo model system

We study the synchronization region of two unidirectionally coupled, in a master-slave configuration, FitzHugh-Nagumo systems under the influence of external forcing terms. We observe that anticipated synchronization is robust to the different types of forcings. We then use the predict-prevent control method to suppress unwanted pulses in the master system by using the information of the slave output. We find that this method is more efficient than the direct control method based on the master. Finally, we observe that a perfect matching between the parameters of the master and the slave is not necessary for the control to be efficient. Moreover, this parameter mismatch can, in some cases, improve the control

Predict-prevent control method for perturbed excitable systems

We present a control method based on two steps: prediction and prevention. For prediction we use the anticipated synchronization scheme, considering unidirectional coupling between excitable systems in a master-slave configuration. The master is the perturbed system to be controlled, meanwhile the slave is an auxiliary system which is used to predict the master's behavior. We demonstrate theoretically and experimentally that an efficient control may be achieved.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Function based control for bilateral systems in tele-micromanipulation

Design of a motion control system should take into account (a) unconstrained motion performed without interaction with environment or any other system, and (b) constrained motion with system in contact with environment or other systems. Control in both cases can be formulated in terms of maintaining desired system configuration what makes essentially the same structure for common tasks: trajectory tracking, interaction force control, compliance control etc. The same design approach can be used to formulate control in bilateral systems aimed to maintain desired functional relations between human and environment through master and slave motion systems. Implementation of the methodology is currently being pursued with a custom built Tele-micromanipulation setup and preliminary results concerning force/position tracking and transparency between master and slave are clearly demonstrated

Control of cellular automata

We study the problem of master-slave synchronization and control of totalistic cellular automata (CA) by putting a fraction of sites of the slave equal to those of the master and finding the distance between both as a function of this fraction. We present three control strategies that exploit local information about the CA, mainly, the number of nonzero Boolean derivatives. When no local information is used, we speak of synchronization. We find the critical properties of control and discuss the best control strategy compared with synchronization

Model following control with discrete time SMC for time-delayed bilateral control systems

This paper proposes a new algorithm based on model following control to recover the uncompensated slave disturbance on time delayed motion control systems having contact with environment. In the previous works, a modified Communication Disturbance Observer (CDOB) was shown to be successful in ensuring position tracking in free motion under varying time delay. However, experiments show that due to the imperfections in slave plant Disturbance Observer (DOB) when there is rapid change of external force on the slave side, as in the case of environment contact, position tracking is degraded. This paper first analyzes the effect of environment contact for motion control systems with disturbance observers. Following this analysis, a model following controller scheme is proposed to restore the ideal motion on the slave system. A virtual plant is introduced which accepts the current from the master side and determines what the position output would be if there was no environment. Based on the error bet ween actual system and model system, a discrete time sliding mode controller is designed which enforces the real slave system to track the virtual slave output. In other words, convergence of slave position to the master position is achieved even though there is contact with environment. Experimental verification of the proposed control scheme also shows the improvement in slave position tracking under contact forces

The design of an electric fence monitoring system : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Technology in Production Technology at Massey University

This thesis presents the design of an Electric Fence Monitoring System (EFMS) which detects and announciates fence malfunctions indicating operational ineffectiveness. The EFMS consists of a master unit and up to sixteen slave units. Each slave unit monitors a single remote point on the fence. Slave units gain their power from the electric fence pulse itself. They use a unique transmission algorithm to transmit the peak electric fence voltage, to the master unit. The electric fence wire is used to convey this transmission. The master unit uses a non-linear switched capacitor filter with variable gain control, to detect the slave unit transmissions. This unit displays the peak voltage at each monitored point and allows the setting of alarm trigger points. This thesis includes modelling of the electric fence energiser and typical electric fence line, and the detailed design of the two units that makeup the EFMS

Control Software for a High-Performance Telerobot

A computer program for controlling a high-performance, force-reflecting telerobot has been developed. The goal in designing a telerobot-control system is to make the velocity of the slave match the master velocity, and the environmental force on the master match the force on the slave. Instability can arise from even small delays in propagation of signals between master and slave units. The present software, based on an impedance-shaping algorithm, ensures stability even in the presence of long delays. It implements a real-time algorithm that processes position and force measurements from the master and slave and represents the master/slave communication link as a transmission line. The algorithm also uses the history of the control force and the slave motion to estimate the impedance of the environment. The estimate of the impedance of the environment is used to shape the controlled slave impedance to match the transmission-line impedance. The estimate of the environmental impedance is used to match the master and transmission-line impedances and to estimate the slave/environment force in order to present that force immediately to the operator via the master unit