Bachelor/Master Theses - Ball in a Tube
Aerodynamic Levitation of a Ball in a Tube (ALB) – possible tasks for Bachelor- and Master-ThesesKeywords: Feedback-Stabilization, Multivariable Control, Nonlinear Control, Sensor fusion/Image processing, Machine Learning, Digital Twin |
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Experimental plants play a key role in the research and teaching of control theory. In the Aerodynamic Levitation of a Ball (ALB) system, the motion of a ping-pong ball in a tube is controlled by an airflow that is generated by a fan and a bypass valve. The plant contains the main properties of fast and marginally stable motion dynamics as well as multiple input and output variables. The Control is realized by a MATLAB-Simulink-Model using a Raspberry Pi single-board computer to execute the compiled code. To exchange data with sensors and actuators, a Serial communication to an Arduino microcontroller is used.
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Figure 1: Photograph of ALB
plant (left), detail view on
the valve (right)
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The following table contains possible task fields regarding the ALB-plant.
Control-oriented Tasks: | Short description: | |
Feedback Stabilization | BA/MA | Stabilize the plant by the use of controller schemes with more than one degree of freedom |
Multivariable Control | BA/MA | Use the fan and the valve simultaneously |
Sensor Fusion | MA | Design of an observer; Modelling of noise |
Machine-learning-oriented Tasks: | Short description: | |
Automated Testing | BA | Automated evaluation of controller parameters |
Online Machine Learning | MA | Control the plant by (reinforcement) learning algorithms |
Further possible Task fields: | Short description: | |
Digital Twin | MA | Create a digital twin of the plant |
Image Processing | BA/MA | Determine position and speed of the ball by using a camera on Raspberry Pi |
Hardware Extensions | BA/MA | Addition of further sensors; Interconnection of plants |