Markov Game Controller Design Algorithms

Markov games are a generalization of Markov decision process to a multi-agent setting. Two-player zero-sum Markov game framework offers an effective platform for designing robust controllers. This paper presents two novel controller design algorithms that use ideas from game-theory literature to produce reliable controllers that are able to maintain performance in presence of noise and parameter variations. A more widely used approach for controller design is the H∞ optimal control, which suffers from high computational demand and at times, may be infeasible. Our approach generates an optimal control policy for the agent (controller) via a simple Linear Program enabling the controller to learn about the unknown environment. The controller is facing an unknown environment, and in our formulation this environment corresponds to the behavior rules of the noise modeled as the opponent. Proposed controller architectures attempt to improve controller reliability by a gradual mixing of algorithmic approaches drawn from the game theory literature and the Minimax-Q Markov game solution approach, in a reinforcement-learning framework. We test the proposed algorithms on a simulated Inverted Pendulum Swing-up task and compare its performance against standard Q learning.

Intelligent ABS Fuzzy Controller for Diverse RoadSurfaces

Fuzzy controllers are potential candidates for the control of nonlinear, time variant and also complicated systems. Anti lock brake system (ABS) which is a nonlinear system, may not be easily controlled by classical control methods. An intelligent Fuzzy control method is very useful for this kind of nonlinear system. A typical antilock brake system (ABS) by sensing the wheel lockup, releases the brakes for a short period of time, and then reapplies again the brakes when the wheel spins up. In this paper, an intelligent fuzzy ABS controller is designed to adjust slipping performance for variety of roads. There are tow major sections in the proposing control system. First section consists of tow Fuzzy-Logic Controllers (FLC) providing optimal brake torque for both front and rear wheels. Second section which is also a FLC provides required amount of slip and torque references properties for different kind of roads. Simulation results of our proposed intelligent ABS for three different kinds of road show more reliable and better performance in compare with two other break systems.

Vector Control Using Series Iron Loss Model of Induction, Motors and Power Loss Minimization

The iron loss is a source of detuning in vector controlled induction motor drives if the classical rotor vector controller is used for decoupling. In fact, the field orientation will not be satisfied and the output torque will not truck the reference torque mostly used by Loss Model Controllers (LMCs). In addition, this component of loss, among others, may be excessive if the vector controlled induction motor is driving light loads. In this paper, the series iron loss model is used to develop a vector controller immune to iron loss effect and then an LMC to minimize the total power loss using the torque generated by the speed controller.

The Design of PIP Controller for a Thermal System with Large Time Delay

This paper will first describe predictor controllers when the proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controllers are inactive for procedures that have large delay time (LDT) in transfer stage. Therefore in those states, the predictor controllers are better than the PID controllers, then compares three types of predictor controllers. The value of these controller-s parameters are obtained by trial and error method, so here an effort has been made to obtain these parameters by Ziegler-Nichols method. Eventually in this paper Ziegler-Nichols method has been described and finally, a PIP controller has been designed for a thermal system, which circulates hot air to keep the temperature of a chamber constant.

A New Approach for Controlling Overhead Traveling Crane Using Rough Controller

This paper presents the idea of a rough controller with application to control the overhead traveling crane system. The structure of such a controller is based on a suggested concept of a fuzzy logic controller. A measure of fuzziness in rough sets is introduced. A comparison between fuzzy logic controller and rough controller has been demonstrated. The results of a simulation comparing the performance of both controllers are shown. From these results we infer that the performance of the proposed rough controller is satisfactory.

Interoperable CNC System for Turning Operations

The changing economic climate has made global manufacturing a growing reality over the last decade, forcing companies from east and west and all over the world to collaborate beyond geographic boundaries in the design, manufacture and assemble of products. The ISO10303 and ISO14649 Standards (STEP and STEP-NC) have been developed to introduce interoperability into manufacturing enterprises so as to meet the challenge of responding to production on demand. This paper describes and illustrates a STEP compliant CAD/CAPP/CAM System for the manufacture of rotational parts on CNC turning centers. The information models to support the proposed system together with the data models defined in the ISO14649 standard used to create the NC programs are also described. A structured view of a STEP compliant CAD/CAPP/CAM system framework supporting the next generation of intelligent CNC controllers for turn/mill component manufacture is provided. Finally a proposed computational environment for a STEP-NC compliant system for turning operations (SCSTO) is described. SCSTO is the experimental part of the research supported by the specification of information models and constructed using a structured methodology and object-oriented methods. SCSTO was developed to generate a Part 21 file based on machining features to support the interactive generation of process plans utilizing feature extraction. A case study component has been developed to prove the concept for using the milling and turning parts of ISO14649 to provide a turn-mill CAD/CAPP/CAM environment.

Neuro Fuzzy and Self Tunging Fuzzy Controller to Improve Pitch and Yaw Control Systems Resposes of Twin Rotor MIMO System

In this paper, Neuro-Fuzzy based Fuzzy Subtractive Clustering Method (FSCM) and Self Tuning Fuzzy PD-like Controller (STFPDC) were used to solve non-linearity and trajectory problems of pitch AND yaw angles of Twin Rotor MIMO system (TRMS). The control objective is to make the beams of TRMS reach a desired position quickly and accurately. The proposed method could achieve control objectives with simpler controller. To simplify the complexity of STFPDC, ANFIS based FSCM was used to simplify the controller and improve the response. The proposed controllers could achieve satisfactory objectives under different input signals. Simulation results under MATLAB/Simulink® proved the improvement of response and superiority of simplified STFPDC on Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC).

A Cohesive Lagrangian Swarm and Its Application to Multiple Unicycle-like Vehicles

Swarm principles are increasingly being used to design controllers for the coordination of multi-robot systems or, in general, multi-agent systems. This paper proposes a two-dimensional Lagrangian swarm model that enables the planar agents, modeled as point masses, to swarm whilst effectively avoiding each other and obstacles in the environment. A novel method, based on an extended Lyapunov approach, is used to construct the model. Importantly, the Lyapunov method ensures a form of practical stability that guarantees an emergent behavior, namely, a cohesive and wellspaced swarm with a constant arrangement of individuals about the swarm centroid. Computer simulations illustrate this basic feature of collective behavior. As an application, we show how multiple planar mobile unicycle-like robots swarm to eventually form patterns in which their velocities and orientations stabilize.

Self – Tuning Method of Fuzzy System: An Application on Greenhouse Process

The approach proposed here is oriented in the direction of fuzzy system for the analysis and the synthesis of intelligent climate controllers, the simulation of the internal climate of the greenhouse is achieved by a linear model whose coefficients are obtained by identification. The use of fuzzy logic controllers for the regulation of climate variables represents a powerful way to minimize the energy cost. Strategies of reduction and optimization are adopted to facilitate the tuning and to reduce the complexity of the controller.

Design of DC Voltage Control for D-STATCOM

This paper presents the DC voltage control design of D-STATCOM when the D-STATCOM is used for load voltage regulation. Although, the DC voltage can be controlled by active current of the D-STATCOM, reactive current still affects the DC voltage. To eliminate this effect, the control strategy with elimination effect of the reactive current is proposed and the results of the control with and without the elimination the effect of the reactive current are compared. For obtaining the proportional and integral gains of the PI controllers, the symmetrical optimum and genetic algorithms methods are applied. The stability margin of these methods are obtained and discussed in detail. In addition, the performance of the DC voltage control based on symmetrical optimum and genetic algorithms methods are compared. Effectiveness of the controllers designed was verified through computer simulation performed by using Power System Tool Block (PSB) in SIMULINK/MATLAB. The simulation results demonstrated that the DC voltage control proposed is effective in regulating DC voltage when the DSTATCOM is used for load voltage regulation.

Fuzzy C-Means Clustering Algorithm for Voltage Stability in Large Power Systems

The steady-state operation of maintaining voltage stability is done by switching various controllers scattered all over the power network. When a contingency occurs, whether forced or unforced, the dispatcher is to alleviate the problem in a minimum time, cost, and effort. Persistent problem may lead to blackout. The dispatcher is to have the appropriate switching of controllers in terms of type, location, and size to remove the contingency and maintain voltage stability. Wrong switching may worsen the problem and that may lead to blackout. This work proposed and used a Fuzzy CMeans Clustering (FCMC) to assist the dispatcher in the decision making. The FCMC is used in the static voltage stability to map instantaneously a contingency to a set of controllers where the types, locations, and amount of switching are induced.

Modeling and Control of a Quadrotor UAV with Aerodynamic Concepts

This paper presents preliminary results on modeling and control of a quadrotor UAV. With aerodynamic concepts, a mathematical model is firstly proposed to describe the dynamics of the quadrotor UAV. Parameters of this model are identified by experiments with Matlab Identify Toolbox. A group of PID controllers are then designed based on the developed model. To verify the developed model and controllers, simulations and experiments for altitude control, position control and trajectory tracking are carried out. The results show that the quadrotor UAV well follows the referenced commands, which clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

A Microcontroller Implementation of Model Predictive Control

Model Predictive Control (MPC) is increasingly being proposed for real time applications and embedded systems. However comparing to PID controller, the implementation of the MPC in miniaturized devices like Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) and microcontrollers has historically been very small scale due to its complexity in implementation and its computation time requirement. At the same time, such embedded technologies have become an enabler for future manufacturing enterprises as well as a transformer of organizations and markets. Recently, advances in microelectronics and software allow such technique to be implemented in embedded systems. In this work, we take advantage of these recent advances in this area in the deployment of one of the most studied and applied control technique in the industrial engineering. In fact in this paper, we propose an efficient framework for implementation of Generalized Predictive Control (GPC) in the performed STM32 microcontroller. The STM32 keil starter kit based on a JTAG interface and the STM32 board was used to implement the proposed GPC firmware. Besides the GPC, the PID anti windup algorithm was also implemented using Keil development tools designed for ARM processor-based microcontroller devices and working with C/Cµ langage. A performances comparison study was done between both firmwares. This performances study show good execution speed and low computational burden. These results encourage to develop simple predictive algorithms to be programmed in industrial standard hardware. The main features of the proposed framework are illustrated through two examples and compared with the anti windup PID controller.

CNet Module Design of IMCS

IMCS is Integrated Monitoring and Control System for thermal power plant. This system consists of mainly two parts; controllers and OIS (Operator Interface System). These two parts are connected by Ethernet-based communication. The controller side of communication is managed by CNet module and OIS side is managed by data server of OIS. CNet module sends the data of controller to data server and receives commend data from data server. To minimizes or balance the load of data server, this module buffers data created by controller at every cycle and send buffered data to data server on request of data server. For multiple data server, this module manages the connection line with each data server and response for each request from multiple data server. CNet module is included in each controller of redundant system. When controller fail-over happens on redundant system, this module can provide data of controller to data sever without loss. This paper presents three main features – separation of get task, usage of ring buffer and monitoring communication status –of CNet module to carry out these functions.

Implementation of Lower-Limb Rehabilitation System Using Attraction Motors with a Treadmill

This paper proposes a prototype of a lower-limb rehabilitation system for recovering and strengthening patients- injured lower limbs. The system is composed of traction motors for each leg position, a treadmill as a walking base, tension sensors, microcontrollers controlling motor functions and a main system with graphic user interface. For derivation of reference or normal velocity profiles of the body segment point, kinematic method is applied based on the humanoid robot model using the reference joint angle data of normal walking.

Automatic Generation Control of Interconnected Power System with Generation Rate Constraintsby Hybrid Neuro Fuzzy Approach

The design of Automatic Generation Control (AGC) system plays a vital role in automation of power system. This paper proposes Hybrid Neuro Fuzzy (HNF) approach for AGC of two-area interconnected reheat thermal power system with the consideration of Generation Rate Constraint (GRC). The advantage of proposed controller is that it can handle the system non-linearities and at the same time the proposed approach is faster than conventional controllers. The performance of HNF controller has been compared with that of both conventional Proportional Integral (PI) controller as well as Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) both in the absence and presence of Generation Rate Constraint (GRC). System performance is examined considering disturbance in each area of interconnected power system.

Fuzzy Logic Speed Controller for Direct Vector Control of Induction Motor

This paper presents a new method for the implementation of a direct rotor flux control (DRFOC) of induction motor (IM) drives. It is based on the rotor flux components regulation. The d and q axis rotor flux components feed proportional integral (PI) controllers. The outputs of which are the target stator voltages (vdsref and vqsref). While, the synchronous speed is depicted at the output of rotor speed controller. In order to accomplish variable speed operation, conventional PI like controller is commonly used. These controllers provide limited good performances over a wide range of operations even under ideal field oriented conditions. An alternate approach is to use the so called fuzzy logic controller. The overall investigated system is implemented using dSpace system based on digital signal processor (DSP). Simulation and experimental results have been presented for a one kw IM drives to confirm the validity of the proposed algorithms.

High Voltage Driver Design for Actuating a MOEMS Mirror Array

In this paper we present a new multichannel high voltage driver box to connect up to six MOEMS mirror devices to it that have resonant and also quasistatically driven actuating electrodes. It is possible to drive all resonant axes synchronously while the amplitude of them can individually be controlled by separate microcontrollers that also operate the quasistatic axes. Circuit simulations are compared with the measurements done on the real system and also show the robust driving performance of a MOEMS mirror.

Neural Network Control of a Biped Robot Model with Composite Adaptation Low

this paper presents a novel neural network controller with composite adaptation low to improve the trajectory tracking problems of biped robots comparing with classical controller. The biped model has 5_link and 6 degrees of freedom and actuated by Plated Pneumatic Artificial Muscle, which have a very high power to weight ratio and it has large stoke compared to similar actuators. The proposed controller employ a stable neural network in to approximate unknown nonlinear functions in the robot dynamics, thereby overcoming some limitation of conventional controllers such as PD or adaptive controllers and guarantee good performance. This NN controller significantly improve the accuracy requirements by retraining the basic PD/PID loop, but adding an inner adaptive loop that allows the controller to learn unknown parameters such as friction coefficient, therefore improving tracking accuracy. Simulation results plus graphical simulation in virtual reality show that NN controller tracking performance is considerably better than PD controller tracking performance.

Evaluation of Evolution Strategy, Genetic Algorithm and their Hybrid on Evolving Simulated Car Racing Controllers

Researchers have been applying tional intelligence (AI/CI) methods to computer games. In this research field, further researchesare required to compare AI/CI methods with respect to each game application. In th our experimental result on the comparison of three evolutionary algorithms – evolution strategy, genetic algorithm, and their hybrid applied to evolving controller agents for the CIG 2007 Simulated Car Racing competition. Our experimental result shows that, premature convergence of solutions was observed in the case of ES, and GA outperformed ES in the last half of generations. Besides, a hybrid which uses GA first and ES next evolved the best solution among the whole solutions being generated. This result shows the ability of GA in globally searching promising areas in the early stage and the ability of ES in locally searching the focused area (fine-tuning solutions).