Controls and Control Theory Commons^™

Evaluating Eeg–Emg Fusion-Based Classification As A Method For Improving Control Of Wearable Robotic Devices For Upper-Limb Rehabilitation, Jacob G. Tryon

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Musculoskeletal disorders are the biggest cause of disability worldwide, and wearable mechatronic rehabilitation devices have been proposed for treatment. However, before widespread adoption, improvements in user control and system adaptability are required. User intention should be detected intuitively, and user-induced changes in system dynamics should be unobtrusively identified and corrected. Developments often focus on model-dependent nonlinear control theory, which is challenging to implement for wearable devices.

One alternative is to incorporate bioelectrical signal-based machine learning into the system, allowing for simpler controller designs to be augmented by supplemental brain (electroencephalography/EEG) and muscle (electromyography/EMG) information. To extract user intention better, sensor …

Nonlinear Adaptive Control Of Drilling Processes, Maksim Faronov

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This work deals with the modeling and control of automated drilling operations. Advances in drilling automation are of substantial importance because improvements in drilling control algorithms will result in more efficient drilling, which is beneficial from both economic and environmental points of view. While the primary application of the results is extraction of natural resources, potentially there exists a wide range of applications, including offshore exploration, archaeological research, and automated extraterrestrial mining, where implementation of new methods and control algorithms for drilling processes can bring substantial benefits.

The main contribution of the thesis is development of new methods and algorithms …

Exploration Of Force In Movement And Perception In Parkinson’S Disease, Caroline Stefanie Aitken

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) causes force control deficits in upper and lower limbs. About 50% of patients with advanced PD develop freezing of gait (FOG). There is limited research comparing force control in PD with and without FOG, especially in upper limbs. It has been suggested that motor control deficits in PD are related to deficits in kinesthesia, but there is conflicting evidence whether levodopa alleviates kinesthetic deficits. In this thesis, force control was explored using an upper-and-lower-limb haptics-enabled robot in a reaching task, and kinesthesia was investigated using a haptic device in a force discrimination task while participants were on …

Project Khepri: Mining Asteroid Bennu For Water, Erika Frost, Gowtham Boyala, Adam Gremm, Ahmet Gungor, Amirhossein Taghipour, Massimo Biella, Jiawei "Jackson" Qiu, Athip Thirupathi Raj, Arjun Chhabra, Adam Gee, Saanjali Maharaj, Erin Richardson, Julia Empey, Haidar Ali Abdul-Nabi, Lindsay Richards, Ariyaan Talukder, Aaron Groh, Brie Miklaucic, Jd Carlson, Kristina Kim, Maverick Cue

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Deep space asteroid mining presents the opportunity for the collection of critical resources required to establish a cis-lunar infrastructure. In specific, the Project Khepri team has focused on the collection of water from asteroid Bennu. This water has the potential to provide a source of clean-energy propellant as well as an essential consumable for humans or agriculture on crewed trips to the Moon or Mars. This would avoid the high costs of launching from Earth - making it a highly desirable element for the future of cis-lunar infrastructure. The OSIRIS-REx mission provided a complete survey of asteroid Bennu and is …

Real-Time Parkinsonian Tremor Signal Identifier Based On Internal Model Principle, Jian Dong

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Parkinsonian tremor is one of the clinical hallmarks of Parkinson's disease. Since the traditional medical treatments are not effective, many wearable devices are developed to help suppress the tremor. In order to suppress the tremor, a well-designed tremor estimator is needed. Previous tremor estimators treat a 3-D tremor signal as three independent 1-D signals. Moreover, they did not consider the real-life characteristics of tremor signals. For instance, the tremor does not always exist in the postural tremor signal, and the patient's voluntary motion can be included in the kinetic tremor signal. This paper presents a real-time adaptive parkinsonian tremor signal …

Development Of A Wearable Haptic Feedback Device For Upper Limb Prosthetics Through Sensory Substitution, Marco B.S. Gallone

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Haptics can enable a direct communication pipeline between the artificial limb and the brain; adding haptic sensory feedback for prosthesis wearers is believed to improve operation without drawing too much of the user's attention. Through neuroplasticity, the brain can become more cognizant of the information delivered through the skin and may eventually interpret it as inherently as other natural senses. In this thesis, a wearable haptic feedback device (WHFD) is developed to communicate prosthesis sensory information. A 14-week, 6-stage, between subjects study was created to investigate the learning trajectory as participants were stimulated with haptic patterns conveying joint proprioception. 37 …

Design, Development, And Evaluation Of Customized Electronics For Controlling A 5-Dof Magneto-Rheological Actuator Collaborative Robot, Ziqi Yang

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In recent years, Magneto-Rheological (MR) fluids has been used in various fields such as robotics, automotive, aerospace, etc. The most common use of the MR fluids is within a clutch-like mechanism, namely an MR clutch. When mechanical input is coupled to the input part of the MR clutch, the MR clutch provides a means of delivering this mechanical input to its output, through the MR fluids. The combination of the mechanical input device and the MR clutch is called an MR actuator. The MR actuator features inherently compliance owing to the characteristic of the MR fluids while also offering higher …

Geometric State Observers For Autonomous Navigation Systems, Miaomiao Wang

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The development of reliable state estimation algorithms for autonomous navigation systems is of great interest in the control and robotics communities. This thesis studies the state estimation problem for autonomous navigation systems. The first part of this thesis is devoted to the pose estimation on the Special Euclidean group $\SE(3)$. A generic globally exponentially stable hybrid estimation scheme for pose (orientation and position) and velocity-bias estimation on $\SE(3)\times \mathbb{R}^6$ is proposed. Moreover, an explicit hybrid observer, using inertial and landmark position measurements, is provided.

The second part of this thesis is devoted to the problem of simultaneous estimation of the …

A Wearable Mechatronic Device For Hand Tremor Monitoring And Suppression: Development And Evaluation, Yue Zhou

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Tremor, one of the most disabling symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD), significantly affects the quality of life of the individuals who suffer from it. These people live with difficulties with fine motor tasks, such as eating and writing, and suffer from social embarrassment. Traditional medicines are often ineffective, and surgery is highly invasive and risky. The emergence of wearable technology facilitates an externally worn mechatronic tremor suppression device as a potential alternative approach for tremor management. However, no device has been developed for the suppression of finger tremor that has been validated on a human.

It has been reported in …

Nonlinear Attitude And Pose Filters With Superior Convergence Properties, Hashim Abdellah Hashim Mohamed

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In this thesis, several deterministic and stochastic attitude filtering solutions on the special orthogonal group SO(3) are proposed. Firstly, the attitude estimation problem is approached on the basis of nonlinear deterministic filters on SO(3) with guaranteed transient and steady-state measures. The second solution to the attitude estimation problem considers nonlinear stochastic filters on SO(3) with superior convergence properties with two filters being developed in the sense of Ito, and one in the sense of Stratonovich.

This thesis also presents several deterministic and stochastic pose filtering solutions developed on the special Euclidean group SE(3). The first solution includes two nonlinear deterministic …

Nonlinear Observer For Visual-Inertial Navigation Using Intermittent Landmark Measurements, Miaomiao Wang

Western Research Forum

The development of reliable orientation, position and linear velocity estimation algorithms for the 3D visual-inertial navigation system (VINS) is instrumental in many applications, such as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). It is extremely important when the global position system (GPS) is not available in GPS-denied environments. Recently, observers design for VINS using landmark position measurements from Kinect sensors or stereo cameras has been increasingly investigated in the literature.

The aim of this work is to design a nonlinear observer for VINS under the assumption that landmark position measurements are intermittent. In practice, the landmark measurements are …

Analysis, Design And Demonstration Of Control Systems Against Insider Attacks In Cyber-Physical Systems, Xirong Ning

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation aims to address the security issues of insider cyber-physical attacks and provide a defense-in-depth attack-resilient control system approach for cyber-physical systems.

Firstly, security analysis for cyber-physical systems is investigated to identify potential risks and potential security enhancements. Vulnerabilities of the system and existing security solutions, including attack prevention, attack detection and attack mitigation strategies are analyzed.

Subsequently, a methodology to analyze and mathematically characterize insider attacks is developed. An attack pattern is introduced to represent key features in an insider cyber-physical attack, which includes attack goals, resources, constraints, modes, as well as probable attack paths. Patterns for such …

Generalized Scattering-Based Stabilization Of Nonlinear Interconnected Systems, Anastasiia Usova

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The research presented in this thesis is aimed at development of new methods and techniques for stability analysis and stabilization of interconnections of nonlinear systems, in particular, in the presence of communication delays. Based on the conic systems' formalism, we extend the notion of conicity for the non-planar case where the dimension of the cone's central subspace may be greater than one. One of the advantages of the notion of non-planar conicity is that any dissipative system with a quadratic supply rate can be represented as a non-planar conic system; specifically, its central subspace and radius can be calculated using …

Signal Identification In Discrete-Time Based On Internal-Model-Principle, Jie Chen

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This work presents an implementation of a signal identification algorithm which is based on the internal model principle. By using several internal models in feedback with a tuning function, this algorithm can decompose a signal into narrow-band signals and identify the frequencies, amplitudes and relative phases. A desired band-pass filter response can be achieved by selecting appropriate coefficients of the controllers and tuning functions, which can reject the noise and improve the performance. To achieve a result with fast transient characteristics, this system is then modified by adding a low-pass filter. This work is based on the previous work in …

Transformerless High-Power Medium-Voltage Multi-Module Pv Converters, Hasan Bayat

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis is focused on the modular multilevel converter (MMC) for Photovoltaic (PV) applications. It is an attempt to address the issues associated with the modeling, control, and power mismatch elimination of the MMC-based PV systems. Firstly, a new real power reference generation scheme is proposed that creates a linear relationship between the real power reference of the system and the dc link voltage of the submodules. Further, a new power mismatch elimination strategy is proposed for the MMC-based PV system which ensures balanced currents are delivered to the host grid regardless of leg and arm power mismatches. The thesis …

Estimation Of 3d Orientation From Inertial Sensors With Different/Nonuniform Sampling, Soulaimane Berkane

Western Research Forum

No abstract provided.

Robotic Manipulation Of Environmentally Constrained Objects Using Underactuated Hands, Mahyar Abdeetedal

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Robotics for agriculture represents the ultimate application of one of our society's latest and most advanced innovations to its most ancient and vital industry. Over the course of history, mechanization and automation have increased crop output several orders of magnitude, enabling a geometric growth in population and an increase in quality of life across the globe. As a challenging step, manipulating objects in harvesting automation is still under investigation in literature. Harvesting or the process of gathering ripe crops can be described as breaking environmentally constrained objects into two or more pieces at the desired locations. In this thesis, the …

Hybrid Attitude Control And Estimation On So(3), Soulaimane Berkane

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis presents a general framework for hybrid attitude control and estimation design on the Special Orthogonal group SO(3). First, the attitude stabilization problem on SO(3) is considered. It is shown that, using a min-switch hybrid control strategy designed from a family of potential functions on SO(3), global exponential stabilization on SO(3) can be achieved when this family of potential functions satisfies certain properties. Then, a systematic methodology to construct these potential functions is developed. The proposed hybrid control technique is applied to the attitude tracking problem for rigid body systems. A smoothing mechanism is proposed to filter out the …

Realtime Implementation Of An Internal-Model-Principle Signal Identifier, Edris Saleh Mohsen

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis presents a new means approach of tuning an adaptive internal model principle based signal identification algorithm whose computational costs are low enough to allow a realtime implementation. The algorithm allows an instantaneous Fourier decomposition of nonstationary signals that have a strongly predictable component. The algorithm is implemented as a feedback loop resulting in a closed loop system with a frequency response of a bandpass filter with notches at the frequencies of the Fourier decomposition. This is achieved through real time selection of the coefficients of the transfer functions in the feedback loop. Previous work showed how the dynamics …

Design And Implementation Of Smart Sensors With Capabilities Of Process Fault Detection And Variable Prediction, An He

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A typical sensor consists of a sensing element and a transmitter. The major functions of a transmitter are limited to data acquisition and communication. The recently developed transmitters with ‘smart’ functions have been focused on easy setup/maintenance of the transmitter itself such as self-calibration and self-configuration. Recognizing the growing computational capabilities of microcontroller units (MCUs) used in these transmitters and underutilized computational resources, this thesis investigates the feasibility of adding additional functionalities to a transmitter to make it ‘smart’ without modifying its foot-print, nor adding supplementary hardware. Hence, a smart sensor is defined as sensing elements combined with a smart …

P26. Global Exponential Stabilization On So(3), Soulaimane Berkane

Western Research Forum

Global Exponential Stabilization on SO(3)

Expert-In-The-Loop Multilateral Telerobotics For Haptics-Enabled Motor Function And Skills Development, Mahya Shahbazi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Among medical robotics applications are Robotics-Assisted Mirror Rehabilitation Therapy (RAMRT) and Minimally-Invasive Surgical Training (RAMIST) that extensively rely on motor function development. Haptics-enabled expert-in-the-loop motor function development for such applications is made possible through multilateral telerobotic frameworks. While several studies have validated the benefits of haptic interaction with an expert in motor learning, contradictory results have also been reported. This emphasizes the need for further in-depth studies on the nature of human motor learning through haptic guidance and interaction. The objective of this study was to design and evaluate expert-in-the-loop multilateral telerobotic frameworks with stable and human-safe control loops that …

Safe Haptics-Enabled Patient-Robot Interaction For Robotic And Telerobotic Rehabilitation Of Neuromuscular Disorders: Control Design And Analysis, Seyed Farokh Atashzar

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Motivation: Current statistics show that the population of seniors and the incidence rate of age-related neuromuscular disorders are rapidly increasing worldwide. Improving medical care is likely to increase the survival rate but will result in even more patients in need of Assistive, Rehabilitation and Assessment (ARA) services for extended periods which will place a significant burden on the world's healthcare systems. In many cases, the only alternative is limited and often delayed outpatient therapy. The situation will be worse for patients in remote areas. One potential solution is to develop technologies that provide efficient and safe means of in-hospital and …

Investigation Of Model Predictive Control (Mpc) For Steam Generator Level Control In Nuclear Power Plants, Ahmad Taemiriosgouee

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The capabilities and potential of Model Predictive Control (MPC) based strategies for steam generator level (SGL) controls in nuclear power plants (NPPs) have been investigated. The performance has been evaluated for all operating conditions that also include start-ups, low power operations and load rejections. These evaluations have been done for MPC controllers based on existing advanced methodologies, as well as for any potential performance improvement that can be achieved by fine tuning some of the parameters (based on the characteristics of the SGL) of the existing MPC approaches.

Two version of MPC have been designed and implemented. The Standard MPC …

Hybrid Magneto-Rheological Actuators For Human Friendly Robotic Manipulators, Masoud Moghani

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In recent years, many developments in the field of the physical human robot interaction (pHRI) have been witnessed and significant attentions have been given to the subject of safety within the interactive environments. Ensuring the safety has led to the design of the robots that are physically unable to hurt humans. However, Such systems commonly suffer from the safety-performance trade-off. Magneto-Rheological (MR) fluids are a special class of fluids that exhibit variable yield stress with respect to an applied magnetic field. Devices developed with such fluids are known to provide the prerequisite requirements of intrinsic safe actuation while maintaining the …

Sensorless Rotor Position Estimation For Brushless Dc Motors, Iram G. Raza

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Brushless DC motor speed is controlled by synchronizing the stator coil current with rotor position in order to acquire an accurate alignment of stator rotating field with rotor permanent-magnet field for efficient transfer of energy. In order to accomplish this goal, a motor shaft is instantly tracked by using rotating rotor position sensors such as Hall effect sensors, optical encoders or resolvers etc. Adding sensors to detect rotor position affects the overall reliability and mechanical robustness of the system. Therefore, a whole new trend of replacing position sensors with sensorless rotor position estimation techniques have a promising demand.

Among the …

Design And Performance Evaluation Of A Prototype Mrf-Based Haptic Interface For Medical Applications, Mehrdad Kermani Ph.D., P.Eng., Nima Najmaei, Ali Asadian, Rajni Patel

Electrical and Computer Engineering Publications

This paper describes the construction and stability and transparency evaluation of a prototype two degrees-of-freedom (DoF) haptic interface, which takes ad-vantage of magneto-rheological fluid (MRF)-based clutches for actuation. These small-scale clutches were designed in our lab, and their evaluation were reported previously [1],[2]. MRF-based actuators exhibit superior characteristics,which can significantly contribute to transparency and stability of haptic devices. Based on these actuators, a distributed antagonistic configuration is used to develop the2-DoF haptic interface. This device is incorporated in a master–slave teleoperation setup intended for medical per-cutaneous interventions and soft-tissue palpation. Preliminary studies on the stability and transparency of the haptic …

Endoscopic Targeting Tasks Simulator: An Approach Using Game Engines, Shaun W. Carnegie

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The pervasiveness of simulators used in professions requiring the skilled control of expensive machinery such as is the case in the aviation, mining, construction, and naval industries raises an intriguing question about the relatively poor adoption within the field of medicine. Certain surgical procedures such as neuro-endoscopic and laparoscopic lend themselves well to the application of virtual reality based simulators. This is due to the innate ability to decom- pose these complex macro level procedures into a hierarchy of subtasks that can be modelled in a software simulator to augment existing teaching and training techniques.

The research in this thesis …

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Compatible Remote Catheter Navigation System, Mohammad Ali Tavallaei

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Many vascular and cardiac diseases are diagnosed and treated using a medical technique known as percutaneous transluminal catheter intervention (PTC). In PTC, the interventionalist inserts a catheter into the vasculature, and using the vessel as the guiding passageway, the catheter is navigated to desired anatomical targets where it would be used for various purposes such as catheter ablation for the treatment/management of cardiac arrhythmias. The catheterization procedure is conventionally guided with x-ray fluoroscopic imaging and more recently, but rarely, with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). X-ray imaging irradiates the patient directly during the procedure, and the staff and interventionalists indirectly through …

Configuration, Programming, Implementation, And Evaluation Of Distributed Control System For A Process Simulator, Ximing Liu

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Abstract

A common industrial distributed control system (DCS), DeltaV, is configured and programmed to control and monitor the Nuclear Process Control Test Facility (NPCTF). A cabinet which holds the hardware of the DelatV DCS system, including programmable logic controller (PLC), power supplies, input/output (I/O) cards, terminals, and relays are configured and wired to field devices of NPCTF. A workstation and HMI screen are configured and setup.

To implement the main functions of NPCTF in the DelatV system, the programming architecture is designed in the DelatV system. The main control and monitoring functions of NPCTF are programmed using industrial languages of …