Katarína Žáková

Experiments in Control Education

Abstract This paper reports about experience in building Control Laboratory and in organising the learning process with the aim to foster an active and creative learning by doing.

SciLab Based Remote Control of Experiments

Abstract The paper deals with building of a remote control laboratory consisting of two experiments: the thermo-optical and the hydraulic plant. Both devices are connected to the control computer via USB interface. The implementation of the presented solution is based on open technologies whereby the kernel of the application is formed by SciLab/Xcos environment. The possible method for communication between the remote experiment and SciLab and between SciLab and the web application is also presented.

Constrained Control for Systems with Relative Degree One

The paper discusses the design of second and third order plants with two/three parallel first order channels i.e. second/third order system with one/two stable zeroes. The designed control respects input constraints and can be easily tuned by one parameter, the closed loop pole. When choosing proper closed loop poles one has to take into account parasitic time constants, measurement noise, plant uncertainty, etc. Nevertheless, in the nominal case the designed controller is able to give the dynamics ranging from the minimum time control to pure linear one - according to the chosen pole. The desired control signal has one interval at the saturation limit, then it converges to a steady value with the dynamics given by the closed loop pole.

Two Ways for Remote Plant Control

Abstract The paper presents several possibilities of remote control of experiments. One direction of the research is devoted to the use of Matlab software environment. There are number of ways how to approach Matlab remotely. They include e.g. Matlab S-function, COM, DDE, shared communication file or Virtual Reality Toolbox. One of these proposed concepts was used and tested for control of the inverted pendulum system. This approach was compared with the method enabling to approach the plant directly without using Matlab package. Finally, the gained experience is discussed in the paper.

Matlab Adapter – Online Access to Matlab/Simulink Based on REST Web Services

The paper presents a newly developed Matlab Adapter tool that enables to build Matlab/Simulink based online applications. It was built in the form of web service that is available via REST API. In this way the client application can be developed in any programming language. The server side of application was built in Java programming language. We developed several REST endpoints that enable to set parameters, to run simulations or experiments and to follow results.

Remote Experiments in Control Education

Abstract This paper reports about experience in building Control Laboratory with remote access via Internet and in organizing the learning process with the aim to foster an active and creative learning by doing.

Integrated Learning Environment for Control Education

Abstract Present trends in education are dominated by the shift from the traditional teacher-centred to the learner-centred approaches. Needs of new target groups, together with the development of the multimedia and ICT lead to radical changes in the learning environment and to necessity of the new learning organization. This paper is reporting about experience in developing such a new environment at the Department of Automation and Control, FEI STU in Bratislava, in cooperation with the Local Centre of Distance Education.

The Exact Velocity Linearization Method

Abstract The aim of this paper is to present a new method for the nonlinear controller design. The underlying theory evolves from the introduced transfer function of nonlinear systems, that can be used in similar way as transfer functions of classical linear systems. The presented algebra of transfer functions is the same as the linear one. Therefore, the controller design can follow the linear system synthesis. The paper shows, how to design a nonlinear PID controller using the direct method synthesis and also shows that the nonlinear state controller following the pole-placement method is equivalent to the exact linearization method. Since the presented method leads to results identical with the exact linearization method, it has been denoted as the exact velocity linearization method.

PD-Controller tuning based on I2Td and I2T1 models

The new method for PD controller setting is presented. It is based on approximation of the plant step responses by I1T1 and I1Td models and it combines positive features of the method by Ziegler and Nichols and of the minimum time pole assignment controllers.

Minimum Time Pole Assignment Controller for Constrained 2nd Order Systems

Abstract This paper presents design of minimum time pole assignment PD-controllers for the 2nd order linear systems with constrained input, i.e. of the minimum time controllers with additional restriction on the control signal (state) changes per sampling period specified by the closed loop poles. The linear pole assignment control as well as the “bang-bang” minimum time control are involved as special limit cases.