Open-source Control Research Articles

Design and Development of a 5-DOF SCARA Robot Arm for Robotics Education in a STEM Laboratory

The development of a 5-degree-of-freedom (DOF) SCARA robot arm was successfully achieved for educational use within the CSL Laboratory at the School of Applied STEM, Universitas Prasetiya Mulya. The design utilizes cost-effective, locally sourced materials and an open-source control system based on Processing Java and Arduino C. These features make the SCARA robot arm an accessible tool for students to learn robotics, particularly in the areas of kinematics, control, and programming. Extensive testing of the robot’s inverse kinematics algorithm showed promising results, with average error rates of 1.20% for the Inner Arm, 4.21% for the Outer Arm, and 3.39% for the Z-axis. These low error rates highlight the robot’s precision in movement. This research not only met its objective of creating an accessible platform for teaching robotics but also demonstrated potential for future development in robotics education and industrial applications.

Development of low-cost, compact chiroptical imaging systems.

Circular dichroism spectroscopy is a key probe of the structural and optical properties of chiral materials, however, commercial circular dichroism spectrometers are large, prohibitively expensive and rarely offer environmental control of the sample under test. Using Fresnel rhombs as inexpensive broadband quarter-wave plates, we demonstrate two novel, low-cost (<£2000) and portable imaging systems controlled by our own bespoke open-source control software which are capable of spatially mapping the circular dichroism of chiral solid state films. By coupling these imaging systems with a temperature controlled stage, we show that we can rapidly identify the thermal processing conditions required to maximise circular dichroism in chiral solid state films by measuring circular dichroism in situ during thermal annealing of a sample under test. The accuracy and spatial resolution of these circular dichroism imagers are cross-compared against our previous studies using an existing circular dichroism imaging system at the Diamond Light Source and are shown to be in good agreement, with a sensitivity down to 250 mdeg and a spatial resolution of 100 μm.

Modular Open-Source Design of Pyrolysis Reactor Monitoring and Control Electronics

Industrial pilot projects often rely on proprietary and expensive electronic hardware to control and monitor experiments. This raises costs and retards innovation. Open-source hardware tools exist for implementing these processes individually; however, they are not easily integrated with other designs. The Broadly Reconfigurable and Expandable Automation Device (BREAD) is a framework that provides many open-source devices which can be connected to create more complex data acquisition and control systems. This article explores the feasibility of using BREAD plug-and-play open hardware to quickly design and test monitoring and control electronics for an industrial materials processing prototype pyrolysis reactor. Generally, pilot-scale pyrolysis plants are expensive custom designed systems. The plug-and-play prototype approach was first tested by connecting it to the pyrolysis reactor and ensuring that it can measure temperature and actuate heaters and a stirring motor. Next, a single circuit board system was created and tested using the designs from the BREAD prototype to reduce the number of microcontrollers required. Both open-source control systems were capable of reliably running the pyrolysis reactor continuously, achieving equivalent performance to a state-of-the-art commercial controller with a ten-fold reduction in the overall cost of control. Open-source, plug-and-play hardware provides a reliable avenue for researchers to quickly develop data acquisition and control electronics for industrial-scale experiments.

Studies on the Growth, Production and Component Contents of Chrysanthemum indicum Using Arduino-controlled Moisture Content Irrigation Systems

The flowers of Chrysanthemum indicum L., when used as herbal medicines, are said to effectively relieve heat, pain, eye fatigue, and inflammation and be detoxifying. Recent studies have been conducted to control the growth environment of plants with the use of computers, Arduino company producing one such open-source control device. In this study, we evaluated the effect of a traditional ck irrigation system and three soil moisture volume content irrigation controlled by Arduino UNO on flowering, growth, production, and indicators of flower quality of C. indicum grown in pots in a greenhouse. For this study, we aimed to maintain soil moisture volume content to 35%-40%. Irrigation was set to be initiated when soil moisture volume content dropped to 25-30% (Is 30% group), 15-20% (Is 20% group) or 5-10% (Is 10% group). Flowering time was earlier in Is 30% and Is 20% plants than the traditional ck plants, while Is 10% plants did not flower throughout the cultivation period. Both the Is 30% and traditional ck plants produced significantly more total number of flowers and total dry weight of the flowers than Is 20% (Is 10% none). Traditional ck flowers have a significantly higher content of chlorogenic acid, myricetin and quercetin, indicators of quality. The other indicators, luteolin and apigenin were significantly higher than traditional ck and Is 30% plants. This study concluded that the Arduino UNO’s irrigation control system had a better effect on C. indicum growth and component content when irrigation was set Is 30%.

Autonomous flight insurance method of unmanned aerial vehicles Parot Mambo using semantic segmentation data

Autonomous navigation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has become in the past decade an extremely attracting topic, also due to the increasing availability of affordable equipment and open-source control and processing software environments. This demand has also raised a strong interest in developing accessible experimental platforms to train engineering students in the rapidly evolving area of autonomous navigation. In this paper, we describe a platform based on low-cost off-the-shelf hardware that takes advantage of the Matlab/Simulink programming environment to tackle most of the problems related to UAV autonomous navigation. More specifically, the subject of this paper is the autonomous control of the flight of a small UAV, which must explore and patrol an indoor unknown environment. Objectives: to analyse the existing hardware platforms for autonomous flight indoors, choose a flight exploration scenario of unknown premises, to formalize the procedure for obtaining a model of knowledge for semantic classification of premises, to formalize obtaining distance to obstacles using data camera horizontally employment and building on its barrier map. Namely, we use the method of image segmentation based on the brightness threshold, a method of training the semantic segmentation network, and computer algorithms in probabilistic robotics for mobile robots. We consider both the case of navigation guided by structural visual information placed in the environment, e.g., contrast markers for flight (such as path marked by a red tape), and the case of navigation based on unstructured information such as recognizable objects or human gestures. Basing on preliminary tests, the most suitable method for autonomous in-door navigation is by using\ object classification and segmentation, so that the UAV gradually analyses the surrounding objects in the room and makes decisions on path planning. The result of our investigation is a method that is suitable to allow the autonomous flight of a UAV with a frontal video camera. Conclusions. The scientific novelty of the obtained results is as follows: we have improved the method of autonomous flight of small UAVs by using the semantic network model and determining the purpose of flight only at a given altitude to minimize the computational costs of limited autopilot capabilities for low-cost small UAV models. The results of our study can be further extended by means of a campaign of experiments in different environments.

An Experimental Platform for Monitoring, Identification, and Control of HVAC Processes*

This paper presents the concept of an intelligent control system platform equipped with advanced functions and integrated into a unique laboratory demonstrator for simulation of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) processes. The resulting experimental platform constitutes a versatile testbed for development and experimental verification of techniques for signal analysis and feedback control. We proposed and implemented functions for detection of unexpected or undesired signal behaviour, process identification, and discrete-time proportional-integral-derivative and two-degrees-of-freedom controller design. Functionality of the proposed advanced supervision server integrated into the laboratory HVAC testbed is demonstrated using preliminary results obtained from practical testing. The entire concept is built on an open-source control system platform, and is essentially applicable not only for smart buildings but also other industrial applications.

The Design, Development and Assessment of a Novel De-centralised IoT-Based Remote Monitoring of a Small-Scale Anaerobic Digester Network

The implementation of community-level de-centralised anaerobic digestion (AD) systems offers a sustainable solution for organic waste management and energy provision, but there is currently a need for low-cost methods of system control and management at this scale. The problem becomes accentuated with increasing deployment, as greater complexities are created by the need to both monitor and control a wider network of smaller, community-scale plants. This paper describes research to design, deploy and test such a system by creating a network of two independent biogas generation AD reactor sites situated in the United Kingdom and Thailand. Internet of things (IoT) aspects such as inexpensive and widely available open-source control electronics was used in combination with small commercial gas analysers to log, transfer and share data with a central station, achieving real-time monitoring of performance for both networked digesters. The design proved beneficial for collaboration and knowledge exchange purposes along with providing off-site observations on reactor status. This information was used for early intervention to maintain biogas yields and enable the dynamic assessment of process economics. The concept showed potential for upscaling to larger multi-site networks of AD reactors that could maintain process optimisation without the need for skilled staff on site.

Design and Implementation of a Ball-Plate Control System and Python Script for Educational Purposes in STEM Technologies.

This paper presents the process of designing, fabricating, assembling, programming and optimizing a prototype nonlinear mechatronic Ball-Plate System (BPS) as a laboratory platform for engineering education STEM. Due to the nonlinearity and complexity of BPS, the task presents challenges such as: (1) difficulty in controlling the stabilization of a particular position point, known as steady-state error, (2) position resolution, known as specific distance error, and (3) adverse environmental effects—light-shadow error, which is also discussed in this paper. The laboratory prototype BPS for education was designed, manufactured and installed at Karlovac University of Applied Sciences in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics program. The low-cost two-degree BPS uses a USB HD camera for computer vision as a feedback sensor and two DC servo motors as actuators. Due to control problems, an advanced block diagram of the control system is proposed and discussed. An open-source control system based on Python scripts, which allows the use of ready-made functions from the library, allows the color of the ball and the parameters of the PID controller to be changed, indirectly simplifying the control system and performing mathematical calculations directly. The authors will continue their research on this BPS mechatronic platform and control algorithms.

A Data-Driven Identification Procedure for HVAC Processes with Laboratory and Real-World Validation

Linear system identification is a well-known methodology for building mathematical models of dynamic systems from observed input–output data. It also represents an essential tool for model-based control design, adaptive control and other advanced control techniques. Use of linear identification is, however, often limited to academic environment and to research facilities equipped with scientific computing platforms and highly qualified staff. Common industrial or building control system technology rarely uses these advanced design techniques. The main obstacle is typically lack of experience with their practical implementation. In this article, a procedure is proposed, implemented, and tested, that brings the benefits of linear identification into broader control system practice. The open-source DCU control system platform with its advanced control framework is used for implementation of the proposed linear identification procedure. The procedure is experimentally tested in the laboratory setting using a unique model of HVAC system as well as in real-world environment in an experimental two storey family house. Testing this novel feature of the control system has proved satisfactory results, while some of them are presented in graphical and numerical form.

Building a Scanning Probe Microscope Using Open Source Control Software and Systems.

A scanning probe microscope (SPM) operating in air and liquid was constructed using an open-source control software running on Linux, a correspondingly developed commercial SPM controller and a commercial STM head. The results are shown for highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) and Au(111) substrate surfaces, which are typical samples for SPM measurements. The cost of building the system was much lower than that of commercial products with comparable performance. The system has great scalability, and can be applied to a various environment, such as ultra-high vacuum systems.

Retraction: Flavor-cyber-agriculture: Optimization of plant metabolites in an open-source control environment through surrogate modeling.

Retraction: Flavor-cyber-agriculture: Optimization of plant metabolites in an open-source control environment through surrogate modeling.

A Modular Multirotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Design Approach for Development of an Engineering Education Platform.

The development of multirotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has enabled a vast number of applications. Since further market growth is expected in the future it is important that modern engineers be familiar with these types of mechatronic systems. In this paper, a comprehensive mathematical description of a multirotor UAV, with various configuration parameters, is given. A modular design approach for the development of an educational multirotor platform is proposed. Through the stages of computer-aided design and rapid prototyping an experimental modular multirotor (EMMR) platform is presented. Open-source control system and a novel EMMR enable students to create and test control algorithms for various multirotor configurations. The presented EMMR platform is suitable for students to expand their educational objectives in aerial robotics and control theory.

Open Source Control Device for Industry 4.0 Based on RAMI 4.0

The technical innovation of the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0—I4.0) is based on the following respective conditions: horizontal and vertical integration of manufacturing systems, decentralization of computing resources and continuous digital engineering throughout the product life cycle. The reference architecture model for Industry 4.0 (RAMI 4.0) is a common model for systematizing, structuring and mapping the complex relationships and functionalities required in I4.0 applications. Despite its adoption in I4.0 projects, RAMI 4.0 is an abstract model, not an implementation guide, which hinders its current adoption and full deployment. As a result, many papers have recently studied the interactions required among the elements distributed along the three axes of RAMI 4.0 to develop a solution compatible with the model. This paper investigates RAMI 4.0 and describes our proposal for the development of an open-source control device for I4.0 applications. The control device is one of the elements in the hierarchy-level axis of RAMI 4.0. Its main contribution is the integration of open-source solutions of hardware, software, communication and programming, covering the relationships among three layers of RAMI 4.0 (assets, integration and communication). The implementation of a proof of concept of the control device is discussed. Experiments in an I4.0 scenario were used to validate the operation of the control device and demonstrated its effectiveness and robustness without interruption, failure or communication problems during the experiments.

DSD - Dynamic Stack Decider

We present the Dynamic Stack Decider (DSD), a lightweight open-source control architecture. It combines different well-known approaches and is inspired by behavior trees as well as hierarchical state machines. The DSD allows to design and structure complex behavior of robots as well as software agents while providing easy maintainability. Challenges that often occur in robotics, i.e., a dynamic environment and situation uncertainty, remain well-manageable. Furthermore, it allows fast modifications of the control flow, while providing the state-fullness of a state machine. The approach allows developing software using a simple Domain Specific Language (DSL) which defines the control flow and two types of elements that contain the programmed parts. The framework takes care of executing the demanded portions of the code and gives, due to its stack-like internal representation, the ability to verify preconditions while maintaining a clear structure. The presented software was used in different robotic scenarios and showed great performance in terms of flexibility and structuredness.

Automated Pet Feeder Called Smart Pakan using 3D Printer with Open Source Control System

In this paper, an automatic pet feeding machine is built using the 3D Printer machine and an opened source control system to help people with busy activities to be able to feed their pets on time. The machine is built using 3D Printer machine. The control system is built using the NodeMCU ESP8266 platform module and ultrasonic sensors. The controlling device uses a smartphone that is installed blynk application software that has the principle of the Internet of Things. The machine works by opening it’s valve to control the water’s discharge, a servo motor to open the feed container, as well as a timer to regulate the time of feeding. The valve can be set in 4 conditions. There are 10 degrees, 20 degrees, 30 degrees and up to 40 degrees. Then for the feed distance’s display it will provide information about the distance of the feed to the sensor, for a maximum distance of 9 cm in accordance with the distance sensor attached to the roof of the feed container with the sensor attached to the bottom of it. This machine can work continuously and automatically as long as there is an electricity source in the house and the owner holds the control of the blynk application software on their phone. .

Advanced Supervision of Smart Buildings Using a Novel Open-Source Control Platform.

Gathering data and monitoring performance are at the heart of energy efficiency and comfort securing strategies in smart buildings. Therefore, it is crucial to present the obtained data to the user or administrator of such a building in an appropriate form. Moreover, evaluating the data in real time not only helps to maintain comfort, but also allows for a timely response from the user or operator to a possible fault. Continuous online monitoring and analysis of process behaviour, which is referred to as advanced supervision, is addressed in this paper by developing a procedure that will form an artificial operator autonomously supervising process. After introducing several techniques that are used for signal analysis, we propose an approach to advanced supervision of processes in smart buildings or other industrial control systems. The developed procedure is implemented on a control system platform that is particularly suitable for this purpose. Moreover, this platform includes a framework that provides support for the implementation of advanced control techniques and it is based on open-source tools, which is rarely seen in industrial applications. The developed advanced supervision procedure has been tested in simulation as well as in a practical case study using a real two-storey family house.

Fly-by-Pi: Open source closed-loop control for geotechnical centrifuge testing applications

Geotechnical centrifuges are valuable instruments for physical modelling of complex geotechnical problems in a controlled laboratory setting. In comparison to full-scale testing, scaled models are cost effective to construct and instrument and, when tested in a geotechnical centrifuge at increased centrifugal accelerations, are capable of replicating full-scale stress–strain soil behaviour. Centrifuge modellers require specialised hardware and instruments capable of functioning under high accelerations. Such hardware is costly, nearly always purpose built, and often rely on commercial, closed-source data acquisition systems, hardware and control systems.This paper demonstrates a novel and versatile, low cost, open source logger and control system that works in parallel alongside existing centrifuge hardware. This solution, termed Fly-by-Pi, was developed using the Raspberry Pi microcomputer. The system provides closed-loop control of linear actuators with the ability to operate in either cyclic, monotonic, or static load- or displacement-control. The control mechanism can be reprogrammed according to experimental requirements, even during flight in the centrifuge. Three independent experiments are described which included the Fly-by-Pi controller as a key component in their operation. Based on the experience gained during these experiments, the authors encourage wide-spread adoption of open-sourced hardware solutions in extreme testing environments.

CoUAS

In the past decade, unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) have been widely used in various civilian applications, most of which involve only a single unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). In the near future, more and more UAS applications will be facilitated by the cooperation of multiple UAVs. In such applications, it is desirable to utilize a general control platform for cooperative UAVs. However, existing open-source control platforms cannot fulfill such a demand because (1) they only support the leader-follower mode, which limits the design options for fleet control, (2) existing platforms can support only certain type of UAVs and thus lack compatibility, and (3) these platforms cannot accurately simulate a flight mission, which may cause a big gap between simulation and real-world flight. To address these issues, we propose a general control and monitoring platform for cooperative UAS, namely, CoUAS , which provides a set of core cooperation services of UAVs, including synchronization, connectivity management, path planning, energy simulation, and so on. To verify the applicability of CoUAS, we design and develop a prototype in which an embedded path planning service is provided to complete any task with the minimum flying time while considering the network connectivity and coverage. Experimental results by both simulation and field test demonstrate that the proposed system is viable.

Balancing water quality and flows in combined sewer systems using real-time control

An open-source control algorithm for combined sewers demonstrates how treatment plant benefits can be balanced with operation of the collection system.

Wirelessroboticarm Vehicle

Today, advance is making a relative course according to quickly extending human needs. The work done to address these issues makes life less magnificent continually, and these examinations are moved in electronic arm considers. Robot arms work with an outside client or by performing foreordained headings. These days, the most made field of robot arms in each field is the business and medication area. Managed and found in the endeavor, the robot arm can move in 4 turn ways with 5 servo engines. Because of the holder, you can take the ideal material start with one spot and pass on it then onto the going with spot, and moreover blend it with the material it gets. While doing this, robot control is given by work together with the android application by methods for Bluetooth module related with Arduino Uno microcontroller.The basic inspiration driving social occasion of the undertaking was to structure and build up the bit of mechanical arm for lifting. The motorized arm was composed with four degrees of shot and programming to achieve totally direct light material lifting errand to engage the age to lie in any industry. 3d printing framework is utilized in this test to creation. The zones of the mechanical arm is furnished with 5 servo engines to interface the parts and bringing arm improvement. Arduino, an open source control mechanical assembly and making PC exercises is associated with control the mechanized arm by driving servo engines to be set up to change the positions. Remote control was finished by utilizing a PDA with android working structure through a Bluetooth module. The mechanical arm was under endeavoring and supporting its presentation and the outcomes shows that it can play out the lifting task fittingly