MATLAB Simscape Research Articles

Quadcopter Prototype Stability Analysis Using Matlab Simscape Library

Abstract Nowadays, the use of quadcopters in daily life has become important due to its capabilities and ability to carry out many tasks in many fields like civil, military, industrial, and agricultural fields. The modelling of the quadcopter and deeply understanding its movements is very important to ensure that the simulations of its behaviour are as close as possible to reality and also helps us to design a flight controller. In this work, we used a modern technique on MATLAB (Simscape) to simulate a quadcopter in real-time. At first, we build a quadcopter using Simscape multibody then we simulated the PID regulator, the command algorithms, and the motor model with the applied forces on the body to achieve the global model that we can use to study the movement of the quadcopter on the three-axis which ensure a stable functioning. The results obtained show the stability of the four movements of the quadcopter (roll, pitch, yaw, and altitude).

A Proposed System for Multi-UAVs in Remote Sensing Operations.

This paper proposes the design of the communications, control systems, and navigation algorithms of a multi-UAV system focused on remote sensing operations. A new controller based on a compensator and a nominal controller is designed to dynamically regulate the UAVs' attitude. The navigation system addresses the multi-region coverage trajectory planning task using a new approach to solve the TSP-CPP problem. The navigation algorithms were tested theoretically, and the combination of the proposed navigation techniques and control strategy was simulated through the Matlab SimScape platform to optimize the controller's parameters over several iterations. The results reveal the robustness of the controller and optimal performance of the route planner.

A tunable multi-arm electromagnetic pendulum for ultra-low frequency vibration energy harvesting

Autonomous electronic devices and sensors are essential to reduce expensive maintenance, increasing job security and reliability, avoiding battery replacements and wired systems. Industrial systems and civil structures vibrate dissipating an important amount of energy that can be harvested to power small devices. This work continues and extends a previous work from the authors (Castagnetti 2019 Meccanica 54 749–60). Here we improved that initial configuration by proposing a tunable multi-arm electromagnetic pendulum for ultra-low frequency vibrations energy harvesting. This configuration features five electromagnetic converters and a magnetic spring, each supported by a pendulum arm with different length: when excited by external vibrations, this six arms frame is free to oscillate around a central pivot. The paper starts from conceptual design, includes a detailed multiphysics dynamic simulation implemented with Matlab Simscape software, presents the prototype development through three-dimensional printing and experimental validation. Systematic experimental tests investigated different pendulum configurations for three stiffness levels of the magnetic spring and confirmed both the ultra-low frequency response (from 2 to 10 Hz), as predicted by the dynamic simulation, and the good voltage and power outputs. Specifically, for the higher stiffness of the magnetic spring, corresponding to an oscillation frequency of about 9.5 Hz, the power output was up to 8.4 mW and the output voltage of about 2 Volt.

Modeling and Simulation of autonomous mobile robot system for collision avoidance in VR environment using Simscape-Multibody

Autonomous mobile robots have recently become a centre of attention in the robotics community due to their ease of design, modeling and implementation, making them very lucrative in logistics, monitoring, mapping and other purposes. Fundamentally, collision avoidance is a major aspect of an autonomous mobile robot which requires assistance from other aspects like sensor fusion, localization, path planning etc., to contribute to achieving proper functionality in an open environment, hence the inherently required integration makes it hard to many researchers, robotics and robot enthusiasts to incorporate multi-dimensional functionalities in their system. Sometimes traditional software for robotics makes it harder to acquire actual insight into their system due to a lack of cross-platform compatibility. Therefore, this research aims to demonstrate a way to integrate important aspects required for obstacle avoidance system for design and analysis using a compatible system which is SolidWorks and MatLab simscape multibody, which provides sufficient scope to properly and accurately simulate autonomous systems on a real-time basis that can be used with actual hardware to final implementation. The findings of the study demonstrate that it is very much feasible to use such a method for robotic and other complex mechanics applications, and further analysis of the sensor fusion algorithm reveals some shortcomings of the sensor fusing algorithm and data processing which can be avoided by introducing further sensor sequencing and implementing adaptive neuro fuzzy-based system.

Implementation of Iterative Learning Control on a Pneumatic Actuator

Pneumatic actuators demonstrate various nonlinear and uncertain behavior, and as a result, precise control of such actuators with model-based control schemes is challenging. The Iterative Learning Control (ILC) algorithm is a model-free control method usually used for repetitive processes. The ILC uses information from previous repetitions to learn about a system’s dynamics for generating a more suitable control signal. In this paper, an ILC method to overcome the nonlinearities and uncertainties in a pneumatic cylinder-piston actuator is suggested. The actuator is modeled using MATLAB SimScape blocks, and the ILC scheme has been expanded for controlling nonlinear, non-repetitive systems so that it can be used to control the considered pneumatic system. The simulation results show that the designed ILC controller is capable of tracking a non-repetitive reference signal and can overcome the internal and payload uncertainties with the precision of 0.002 m. Therefore, the ILC can be considered as an approach for controlling the pneumatic actuators, which is challenging to obtain their mathematical modeling.

Logic Circuits Based on Chemical Volume Phase Transition Transistors for Planar Microfluidics and Lab‐on‐a‐Chip Automation

AbstractDespite great progress of lab‐on‐a‐chip (LoC) technology platforms in the last 30 years, there is a lack of standardized microfluidic components, real on‐chip automation and progressive functional scalability of the fluidic circuits. Hydrogel‐based microfluidic circuits have a high scaling potential and provide on‐chip automation, but are complex in system design. An advanced circuit concept for planar microfluidic chip architectures, originating from the early era of the semiconductor‐based resistor‐transistor‐logic (RTL) is presented and the hydrogel‐based chemical volume phase transition transistor (CVPT) for logic gate operations is implemented. The circuit concept (CVPT‐RTL) is robust and simple in design, feasible with common materials and manufacturing techniques of the LoC technology. Thereby, three major challenges are solved: contamination issues, maintaining the signal compliance for cascadability, and chemical signal inversion. As a central element, a CVPT cascode is introduced. The functionality of the concept is verified by a 24 h test of the NAND gate operation and a self‐automated chemofluidic analog‐to‐digital converter, utilized as interface between bioreactors and extended microfluidic logic circuits. Moreover, the CVPT‐RTL cascode demonstrates the expected self‐stabilizing performance of the NAND gate. Accompanying simulations of the component behavior based on a network description implemented in Matlab Simscape match with the experimental results.

Design of a low-cost wireless emission monitoring system for solid-fuel heat sources

INTRODUCTION: The study presents a conceptual and detailed design methodology overview of a wireless sensor network (WSN) aimed to evaluate the SmartCity air quality in real-time. The aim of the article is to provide low-cost, reliable, and accurate emission data at remote locations, assisting the 2050 Climate-Neutral target set by the European Commission. The sensor devices shall monitor emission parameters such as ozone, carbon dioxide concentration and particle concentrations, specifically concentrations PM2,5 and PM10.OBJECTIVES: The overall objective of the article is to demonstrate the use of a modern home-made air quality device within the market of boilers, fireplaces or other heating devices.METHODS: The methodology consists of reverse engineering of used professional portable emission analyzers, determining the detailed parts, building a model of how the device's internal systems operate. The paper later explains a series of future experiments including the setup, the necessary components and specific aim. Two numerical models shall be constructed in MATLAB Simscape and Simulink, specifically a telecommunication model, assisting the design of the telecommunication module, and thermal numerical model, that aids in verifying the system temperature and cooling.RESULTS: The study presents a large potential in increasing the accuracy and spectrum of modern air quality data and decreasing emission levels.CONCLUSION: In the conclusion of the paper, the functional requirements of the data processing are stated, along with schematic illustration of the user interface of measured emissions.

Формування інформаційно-математичної компетентності здобувачів вищої освіти в загальному курсі фізики

The article deals with the process of formation of information and mathematical competence of the higher education of engineering specialties in the general course of physics with the use of the Simscape visual programming package. During the study, the theoretical analysis of scientific literature was carried out; systematized and generalized scientific data for the study of the essence and structure of information and mathematical competence of higher education applicants; the experience of using innovative forms of study in the general course of physics is studied; the proposed approach to the educational process was introduced; Summarized and systematized results. The methodological basis of the study is to examine the process of formation of information and mathematical competences when studying physics using the MatLab software package. The solution of the problem in the study of oscillatory processes in the mechanical system with bound oscillations of two material points with MatLab Simscape is given. The components of the process of formation of information and mathematical competence of future engineers in the general course of physics are highlighted: motivational, creative, operational and technological, activity. These components include an increase in motivation, awakening of interest in the study of physics, mathematics, informatics and desires to self-realize; ability to show creativity, readiness for critical thinking and creative comprehension of the use of knowledge, skills and skills; ability to solve physics problems, selection of techniques and methods for solving non-standard tasks, the use of mathematical and information tools when solving problems, knowledge of integration links of objects of general realization; solving professional tasks with the use of mathematical and information technologies. The main tasks during the study of the general course of physics in the process of formation of information and mathematical competence are: a positive attitude to the study of physical and mathematical disciplines and the use of knowledge gained in future professional activities; ability to correctly choose information and mathematical tools for solving applied tasks; ability in accordance with the set task to interpret and use the information received; ability to organize self-education and self-development. It has been established that this approach allows you to form an information and mathematical competence of higher education for higher education in the general course of physics, promotes the development of critical and algorithmic thinking and creative comprehension of the use of higher education acquisitions, skills and skills in the process of solving physical problems.

A Generalized Predictive Controller for a Wind Turbine Providing Frequency Support for a Microgrid

The power system is moving away from the centralized generation paradigm. One of the current trends is the microgrid concept, where loads, small generators and renewable energy resources (RERs) that are in close proximity are controlled as one entity. Microgrids also allow for an increase in power availability as they can continue to supply electric power to loads even in the absence of a connection to the main grid. During the transition to islanded operation, microgrids may be subject to frequency disturbances caused by the power imbalance between load and generation. When microgrids contain high shares of renewable energy, the challenge is significantly higher due to the control strategies that aim to maximize power production, which are typically applied to RERs and render them insensitive to grid changes. Therefore, new control strategies need to be developed to enable the participation of RERs in the support of the frequency response. This work proposes a predictive control strategy that is based on a generalized predictive controller (GPC) being applied to the grid side converter of a doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) wind turbine to enable frequency support capabilities. The control objective was to track a time varying power reference signal that was generated according to the deviation from the nominal frequency, thereby enabling the energy storage device to inject power into the microgrid without a communication system. The GPC is a controller belonging to the family of model predictive controllers (MPCs), the main principles of which are the use of a system model to predict future states and the choice of an optimal input to ensure that the reference values are followed. To validate the proposed control strategy, a microgrid was simulated in MATLAB Simscape Electrical. The frequency response using the proposed GPC strategy was compared to another MPC-based strategy, known as finite control set, and a scenario in which the DFIG was not equipped with frequency support capabilities. The results show that the proposed strategy was able to improve the frequency response of the microgrid, reduce frequency oscillations and increase the value of the frequency nadir.

Trajectory control of a laparoscopic 3-PUU parallel manipulator based on neural network in SIMSCAPE SIMULINK environment

This paper presents the modeling and control process of recently developed manipulator with 3 limbs having prismatic-universal-universal (3-PUU) joints. It has 3 degrees of freedom (3-DOF), consisting of 2 rotational DOFs and 1 translational DOF (2R1T). To avoid the computational complexity of solving the manipulator’s kinematics in real-time application, two artificial neural networks (ANNs) are trained to estimate the forward and inverse kinematics solutions. Training and testing results show that the developed ANNs have great prediction capabilities. The manipulator’s dynamic model is deduced using MATLAB Simscape environment. Control schemes are investigated starting with motor control, first using PID controller, and then adding feed-forward control which greatly improved the motors’ response. Closed-loop trajectory control based on Cartesian space feedback of the manipulators’ position and orientation and inverse kinematics ANN is then studied. The closed-loop control scheme can enhance the system’s performance, eliminating the error resulting from any change in the manipulator’s actual model due to manufacturing or assembly defects. Simulation results of a defected manipulator model show that the closed-loop control scheme improved the manipulator’s trajectory tracking capability, reducing the z-axis position error by 89.23% and the orientation error by 86.76% and 82.83% about x-axis and y-axis directions respectively.

Reinforcing student learning by MATLAB simscape GUI program for introductory level mechanical vibrations and control theory courses

The highly mathematical nature of introductory level vibrations and control theory courses results in students struggling to understand the concepts. Hands-on activity demonstrated in class can help them better understand the concepts. However, there is still an ongoing effort to lower the currently substantial cost of educational laboratory equipment for undergraduate-level engineering courses. Also, with the COVID-19 crisis, the Spring 2020 academic year took an unexpected turn for academics and students all over the world. Engineering faculty who teach laboratories had to move online and instruct from home. Online course preparation takes more time and effort compared to traditionally designed face-to-face courses and was compounded considering the unprecedented situation where many instructors didn't have time to record data from existing lab equipment or record video in their laboratories. In this paper, we present a Matlab Simscape GUI program designed to simulate modeling and control of dynamical systems for vibrations and control theory courses, and their associated laboratories, as one potential solution for online instruction. To complement the simulation program, online classroom and homework activities were designed using a learning sciences approach connecting several critical educational theories which can bolster student motivation, engagement with the material, and overall learning performance. The simulation is presented along with data from 19 students who completed the associated classroom and homework activities. Survey results probing student perceptions about the value of the learning tasks for the simulation were overwhelmingly positive and indicate this approach holds promise in supporting student learning.

Design and Analysis of Control Strategy for an Efficient Battery Thermal Management System of an Electric Vehicle

Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) are being widely used as energy storage systems for Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicles. The LIBs are particularly sensitive to temperatures and uncontrolled heating may lead to thermal runaway hence, a battery thermal management system is required to prevent the thermal abuse of the batteries. An efficient battery thermal management system ensures that the battery is working in its optimal temperature range thus, increasing its cycle life and performance. In this study, the heat generation profiles have been calculated for various drive cycles namely, US06, FTP-75, and UDDS, which were validated by a thermo-electric mathematical model in MATLAB Simscape. It was found that a cooling plate with an S-channel design is the most suitable for heat exchange applications and a mass flow rate value of 0.4 kg/s gives an optimum compromise between the heat transfer and the back pressure developed. The control strategy proposed in this research work regulates the battery temperature within the specified limit keeping the parasitic power at a minimum.

A Novel Combined Control Strategy for a Two-Stage Parallel Full-Wave ZCS Quasi Resonant Boost Converter for PV-Based Battery Charging Systems with Maximum Power Point Tracking

This work deals with the design and validation of a combined control strategy to satisfy the requirements for both soft switching and Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) for a Photo Voltaic based (PV-based) battery charging system. The proposed controller is employed for a two-stage parallel full-wave Zero Current Switching (ZCS) quasi resonant boost converter to obtain maximum voltage using Perturb and Observation (P&O) method. The controller utilizes frequency modulation to regulate the output voltage, considering any changes experienced due to the intermittent nature of the PV system. Operating principles of the tow-stage parallel boost converter are thoroughly analyzed, and Matlab Simscape toolbox and its real-time workshop capability is utilized to evaluate the performance of the proposed controller for a battery charging system.

A mechatronic test-bench to investigate the impact of ventricular pulsation in hydrocephalus

BackgroundIn vitro modelling of the intracranial pressure (ICP) profile is an important tool to test potential prototypes for the diagnosis and treatment of hydrocepahlus. ObjectiveHere, a novel feedback-controlled mechatronic test-bench, which replicates the pulsatile ICP wave, is presented. MethodsThe design is based on a MATLAB Simscape simulation of the intracranial system (ICS) and a test environment consisting of a linear actuator coupled to a metal bellows that deliver an ICP wave profile to the inner ventricular cavity of a silicon-gel-carbon brain phantom. The proposed approach applies the Lagrange formalism for the electromechanical modelling of the system. MATLAB’s Grey-Box system identification tool is used and a PID controller is implemented. The ICS simulation is adapted from existing models from literature. A physiological aortic pressure wave is the input of the system. ResultsThe ICS model is able to generate wave profiles of varying morphology according to model parameters such as vessel compliance, capillary resistance and cerebrospinal fluid production rate. The wave profile serves as the reference pressure, ICPref, for the controller. Finally, the hardware setup successfully delivers the ICP profile to the intracranial cavity, ICPmeas, measured by a pressure sensor connected to the internal cavity of the brain phantom. ConclusionThe detailed in silico ICS model with cardiovascular coupling integrated with a modular brain phantom allows for flexible test scenarios in contrast to purely hydraulic setups. Future work will focus on the optimization of the test-bench for the validation of specific prototypes in the field of hydrocephalus.

A novel intelligent control method for domestic refrigerators based on user behavior

Energy consumption and food safety issues of household refrigerators have attracted considerable attention in recent years. Today, most household refrigerators use conventional controllers for adjusting the compressor speed to regulate the air temperatures inside cabinets. This research aims to design an intelligent control concept that integrates machine learning-based forecast of door opening events with fuzzy logic controllers. Firstly, bayesian neural network, logistic regression, and decision tree techniques are investigated to predict user behavior with data obtained from 18 real users of domestic refrigerators. Results show that logistic regression has the best performance in hourly predicting the door opening events after one week of training with more than 80% accuracy. Secondly, fuzzy logic controllers are designed to use the door opening predictions to regulate configuration parameters of the main refrigerator controller: maximum compressor speed, air temperature setpoint of fresh food compartment, and time offset to control the time of defrosting events. Finally, simulation studies are performed on a domestic refrigerator model developed at MATLAB Simscape. The developed model is based on an existing product in the market, and the accuracy of the model is verified by actual lab tests. Daily simulations of the household refrigerator for sample day profiles of an inactive and active user are performed for ambient temperatures of 16 °C, 25 °C, and 32 °C. Results show that the designed smart controller can achieve up to 2.5% and 4.5% of energy gain for active and passive user-profiles respectively, while maintaining the desired cabinet temperatures.

Modeling of Double Stage Photovoltaic Inverter System with Fast Delayed Signal Cancellation for Fault Ride-Through Control Application in Microgrids

This research presents a secondary control for a grid-supporting microgrid with photovoltaics sources to guarantee grid code compliance and ancillary services. The secondary control accomplishes the fault ride-through, which implements a delayed signal cancellation (DSC) algorithm for negative sequence detection. Without mode switching, the proposed control strategy meets grid code requirements and ensures voltage regulation at the secondary level, which is active and more salient throughout the transient period of host grid disturbances. This control also ensures a constant supply of the microgrid’s sensitive local load while adhering to grid code requirements. Similarly, active power injection into the main grid is limited by progressively altering the MPPT operating point dependent on the depth of voltage sag to optimize reactive power injection to sustain grid voltage sag. The recommended secondary control is triggered by utilizing the DSC process’s detection algorithm to identify the occurrence of a fault in a tiny fraction of a half-cycle in a grid fault. Consequently, while satisfying microgrid load needs, the devised technique guaranteed that increases in DC-link voltage and AC grid current were controlled. MATLAB Simscape ElectricalTM and OPAL-RT Lab are used to do time-domain simulations of the model using the recommended secondary control systems.

Design and simulation of fuzzy-based nonlinear-PID and sliding mode controllers for ankle rehabilitation soft wearable robot

Soft robotics has become an active research area due to its compliance with the natural anatomy, volume to weight ratio, and overall compatibility. However, the difficulties in controlling soft robots have remained a challenge for employing soft wearable robots for clinical applications. In this paper, a fuzzy-based nonlinear PID controller and higher-order sliding mode controllers which can maintain robustness in the presence of a disturbance signal have been designed and analysed. A simple innovative way to include pain signals in control design has been developed; the patient is actively involved by feeding the pain signal to the controller. The pain signal will be characterised into predefined categories from the physiotherapist's knowledge; a fuzzy controller is developed to generate reference force output for the controller from pain feedback and rate of change of muscle elongation. The developed models were analysed and simulated in MATLAB Simulink and Simscape's physical modelling environment.

Synthesis of active boom control in wheel loader for attenuation of whole-body vibration

Random vibration and frequent shocks can affect wheel loader operators' health. Random vibrations from driving on rough terrain or repetitive shocks from speed bumps are significant sources of induced vibration on a seated operator. Vibration can also affect the load's bucket stability. This study aims to eliminate operator vibration while stabilising the bucket load when the wheel loader operates at a steady pace. Multi-input, multi-output system used a model predictive control (MPC) system to achieve the controller's goals. The appropriate control parameters were determined using MATLAB Simscape Multibody program. The proposed control approach utilised the boom's existing hydraulic valve. Fewer vibration disturbances and more stability were achieved numerically. Crossing speed control bumps reduced the root mean square (RMS) values of repeated shocks by 30.2% in some simulation cases. The proposed control approach reduced random vibration produced by driving through uneven terrain by 17%.

Optimized design of 5R planar parallel mechanism aimed at gait-cycle of quadruped robots

In quadruped robot locomotion using parallel mechanisms, researchers have used equal link lengths as legs for walking. However, force requirements are not the same in the forward and return strokes. An unsymmetrical parallel mechanism can be considered to accommodate such requirements. This work presents optimized dimensions of a 5R planar parallel mechanism (5R-PPM) with two degrees of freedom (DoF). Optimized dimensions are determined by formulating an optimization problem using kinematics and dynamics equations for the 5R-PPM. Genetic algorithm is considered to obtain solutions for the optimization problem formulated in this study. The constraint condition expressed here for optimization will attempt to minimize the peak torque essential to displace the links in the mechanism for the given height of the robot body and the path to be traced by the end-effector. After analysing all the four possible working modes for the same end-effector movement, the best working mode is selected for the quadruped legs. The equations are formulated and solved in MATLAB, and validated in the MATLAB Simscape Multibody toolbox.

Modelling and simulation of occlusions in insulin pumps.

An open source simulation model of the mechanical properties of a fully functional insulin pump was made in Matlab Simscape. The model simulates realistic behavior of an insulin pump, parts of which are validated against real-world systems. Simulations include mechanical forces and internal pressures, and the following fluid dynamics. Failure modes, such as occlusions, can be simulated and the resulting simulations can give new insights on how these failures affect the pump and how to detect them.Clinical relevance- Realistic pump simulations can be used to analyze how pump failures affect the system and in turn how to most effectively detect them before posing a hazard to the user, increasing the safety and reliability of the system.