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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1989

Application of recursive manipulator dynamics to hybrid software/hardware simulation

Computer simulations of robotic mechanisms have traditionally solved the dynamic equations of motion for an N degree of freedom manipulator by formulating an N dimensional matrix equation combining the accelerations and torques (forces) for all joints. The use of an alternative formulation that is strictly recursive is described. The dynamic solution proceeds on a joint by joint basis, so it is possible to perform inverse dynamics at arbitrary joints. The dynamic formulation is generalized with respect to both rotational and translational joints, and it is also directly extendable to branched manipulator chains. A hardware substitution test is described in which a servo drive motor was integrated with a simulated manipulator arm. The form of the dynamic equation permits calculation of acceleration given torque or vice versa. Computing torque as a function of acceleration is required for the hybrid software/hardware simulation test described. For this test, a joint servo motor is controlled in conjunction with the simulation, and the dynamic torque on the servo motor is provided by a load motor on a common driveshaft.

Hill, Christopher J.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Robust Fuzzy Controllers Using FPGAs

Electro-mechanical device controllers typically come in one of three forms, proportional (P), Proportional Derivative (PD), and Proportional Integral Derivative (PID). Two methods of control are discussed in this paper; they are (1) the classical technique that requires an in-depth mathematical use of poles and zeros, and (2) the fuzzy logic (FL) technique that is similar to the way humans think and make decisions. FL controllers are used in multiple industries; examples include control engineering, computer vision, pattern recognition, statistics, and data analysis. Presented is a study on the development of a PD motor controller written in very high speed hardware description language (VHDL), and implemented in FL. Four distinct abstractions compose the FL controller, they are the fuzzifier, the rule-base, the fuzzy inference system (FIS), and the defuzzifier. FL is similar to, but different from, Boolean logic; where the output value may be equal to 0 or 1, but it could also be equal to any decimal value between them. This controller is unique because of its VHDL implementation, which uses integer mathematics. To compensate for VHDL's inability to synthesis floating point numbers, a scale factor equal to 10(sup (N/4) is utilized; where N is equal to data word size. The scaling factor shifts the decimal digits to the left of the decimal point for increased precision. PD controllers are ideal for use with servo motors, where position control is effective. This paper discusses control methods for motion-base platforms where a constant velocity equivalent to a spectral resolution of 0.25 cm(exp -1) is required; however, the control capability of this controller extends to various other platforms.

Monroe, Author Gene S., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Application of optimal control theory to the design of the NASA/JPL 70-meter antenna servos

The application of Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) techniques to the design of the 70-m axis servos is described. Linear quadratic optimal control and Kalman filter theory are reviewed, and model development and verification are discussed. Families of optimal controller and Kalman filter gain vectors were generated by varying weight parameters. Performance specifications were used to select final gain vectors.

Alvarez, L. S.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Closed-loop motor control using high-speed fiber optics

A closed-loop control system for controlling the operation of one or more servo motors or other controllable devices is described. The system employs a fiber optics link immune to electromagnetic interference, for transmission of control signals from a controller or controllers at a remote station to the power electronics located in proximity to the motors or other devices at the local station. At the remote station the electrical control signals are time-multiplexed, converted to a formatted serial bit stream, and converted to light signals for transmission over a single fiber of the fiber optics link. At the local station, the received optical signals are reconstructed as electrical control signals for the controlled motors or other devices. At the local station, an encoder sensor linked to the driven device generates encoded feedback signals which provide information as to a condition of the controlled device. The encoded signals are placed in a formatted serial bit stream, multiplexed, and transmitted as optical signals over a second fiber of the fiber optic link which closes the control loop of the closed-loop motor controller. The encoded optical signals received at the remote station are demultiplexed, reconstructed and coupled to the controller(s) as electrical feedback signals.

Dawson, Reginald↗
NASA NTRS1988

Searching Circuit For A Servoloop

Feedback error voltage forced into range of stability. Circuit connected in series with error-voltage line of feedback loop. When loop operates normally in stable region, searching circuit does not disturb operation, and error-voltage output of loop filter is control voltage. When servo unlocks and error-voltage output of loop filter wanders into unstable range, searching circuit forces control voltage to sweep through stable region repeatedly until lock recovered. Consists of two halves identical except polarities of some parts in each half opposite of corresponding parts in other half.

Sigman, E. H.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Unified Robot-Control System

Robot-joint motors integrated with control computer or computers. Robot controller uses only 1 microprocessor to control as many as 16 joint-actuating motors. Control system uses high-speed bus to communicate with joint-interface circuits, addressing scheme to write commands to several motors simultaneously, and efficient assembly-language servo code. Features enable control of 16 joints at 1-kHz servo rate. Suitable for control of motors in numerically-controlled manufacturing systems. Use of single joint-control processor results in few components, lower cost, and simpler architecture.

Szakaly, Zoltan F.↗
NASA NTRS1980

The role of the real-time simulation facility, SIMFAC, in the design, development and performance verification of the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS) with man-in-the-loop

The SIMFAC has played a vital role in the design, development, and performance verification of the shuttle remote manipulator system (SRMS) to be installed in the space shuttle orbiter. The facility provides for realistic man-in-the-loop operation of the SRMS by an operator in the operator complex, a flightlike crew station patterned after the orbiter aft flight deck with all necessary man machine interface elements, including SRMS displays and controls and simulated out-of-the-window and CCTV scenes. The characteristics of the manipulator system, including arm and joint servo dynamics and control algorithms, are simulated by a comprehensive mathematical model within the simulation subsystem of the facility. Major studies carried out using SIMFAC include: SRMS parameter sensitivity evaluations; the development, evaluation, and verification of operating procedures; and malfunction simulation and analysis of malfunction performance. Among the most important and comprehensive man-in-the-loop simulations carried out to date on SIMFAC are those which support SRMS performance verification and certification when the SRMS is part of the integrated orbiter-manipulator system.

Mccllough, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1989

A 17 degree of freedom anthropomorphic manipulator

A 17 axis anthropomorphic manipulator, providing coordinated control of two seven degree of freedom arms mounted on a three degree of freedom torso-waist assembly, is presented. This massively redundant telerobot, designated the Robotics Research K/B-2017 Dexterous Manipulator, employs a modular mechanism design with joint-mounted actuators based on brushless motors and harmonic drive gear reducers. Direct joint torque control at the servo level causes these high-output joint drives to behave like direct-drive actuators, facilitating the implementation of an effective impedance control scheme. The redundant, but conservative motion control system models the manipulator as a spring-loaded linkage with viscous damping and rotary inertia at each joint. This approach allows for real time, sensor-driven control of manipulator pose using a hierarchy of competing rules, or objective functions, to avoid unplanned collisions with objects in the workplace, to produce energy-efficient, graceful motion, to increase leverage, to control effective impedance at the tool or to favor overloaded joints.

Vold, Havard I.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Helicopter force-feel and stability augmentation system with parallel servo-actuator

A force-feel system is implemented by mechanically coupling a servo-actuator to and in parallel with a flight control system. The servo-actuator consists of an electric motor, a gearing device, and a clutch. A commanded cockpit-flight-controller position is achieved by pilot actuation of a trim-switch. The position of the cockpit-flight-controller is compared with the commanded position to form a first error which is processed by a shaping function to correlate the first error with a commanded force at the cockpit-flight-controller. The commanded force on the cockpit-flight-controller provides centering forces and improved control feel for the pilot. In an embodiment, the force-feel system is used as the basic element of stability augmentation system (SAS). The SAS provides a stabilization signal that is compared with the commanded position to form a second error signal. The first error is summed with the second error for processing by the shaping function.

Hoh, Roger H.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Pulse-Population Modulation For Induction Machines

Low-frequency synthesizer developed to provide low-frequency waveform by synthesis from high-frequency power system. Waveform assembled by allowing conduction of discrete half cycles of high-frequency carrier. Frequency of synthesized wave controlled by pulse pattern. By controlling relationship between slip and stator frequencies, one operates induction motor either as motor or generator. Such bidirectional energy transducer used as starter/generator for engine, or as servo-mechanism for control of acceleration and deceleration. Other advantages include operation under controlled voltage-to-frequency ratios to maintain high-efficiency and high power factor, and no reflection of low-frequency noise into 20-kHz distribution bus.

Hansen, Irving G.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Novel Control Effectors for Truss Braced Wing

At cruise flight conditions very high aspect ratio/low sweep truss braced wings (TBW) may be subject to design requirements that distinguish them from more highly swept cantilevered wings. High aspect ratio, short chord length and relative thinness of the airfoil sections all contribute to relatively low wing torsional stiffness. This may lead to aeroelastic issues such as aileron reversal and low flutter margins. In order to counteract these issues, high aspect ratio/low sweep wings may need to carry additional high speed control effectors to operate when outboard ailerons are in reversal and/or must carry additional structural weight to enhance torsional stiffness. The novel control effector evaluated in this study is a variable sweep raked wing tip with an aileron control surface. Forward sweep of the tip allows the aileron to align closely with the torsional axis of the wing and operate in a conventional fashion. Aft sweep of the tip creates a large moment arm from the aileron to the wing torsional axis greatly enhancing aileron reversal. The novelty comes from using this enhanced and controllable aileron reversal effect to provide roll control authority by acting as a servo tab and providing roll control through intentional twist of the wing. In this case the reduced torsional stiffness of the wing becomes an advantage to be exploited. The study results show that the novel control effector concept does provide roll control as described, but only for a restricted class of TBW aircraft configurations. For the configuration studied (long range, dual aisle, Mach 0.85 cruise) the novel control effector provides significant benefits including up to 12% reduction in fuel burn.

White, Edward V.↗
NASA NTRS1992

A new neural net approach to robot 3D perception and visuo-motor coordination

A novel neural network approach to robot hand-eye coordination is presented. The approach provides a true sense of visual error servoing, redundant arm configuration control for collision avoidance, and invariant visuo-motor learning under gazing control. A 3-D perception network is introduced to represent the robot internal 3-D metric space in which visual error servoing and arm configuration control are performed. The arm kinematic network performs the bidirectional association between 3-D space arm configurations and joint angles, and enforces the legitimate arm configurations. The arm kinematic net is structured by a radial-based competitive and cooperative network with hierarchical self-organizing learning. The main goal of the present work is to demonstrate that the neural net representation of the robot 3-D perception net serves as an important intermediate functional block connecting robot eyes and arms.

Lee, Sukhan↗
NASA NTRS1984

Design of a digital ride quality augmentation system for a commuter aircraft

Commuter aircraft with low wing loading that operate at low altitudes are particularly susceptible to unwanted accelerations caused by atmospheric gusts. This paper describes the design and analysis of a longitudinal digital Ride Quality Augmentation System (RQAS). The RQAS designs were conducted for a Cessna 402B aircraft using the flaps and the elevator as the control surfaces. The designs are generated using linear quadratic Gaussian theory and analyzed in both the time and frequency domains. Nominal designs are presented at five flight conditions that cover a total mission. Trade-off studies are conducted to investigate the effect of sample time, computational delay time, servo bandwidth and control power.

Hammond, T. A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Implementation issues for a compact 6 degree of freedom force reflecting handcontroller with cueing of modes

Teleoperated control requires a master human interface device that can provide haptic input and output which reflect the responses of a slave robotic system. The effort reported in this paper addresses the design and prototyping of a six degree-of-freedom (DOF) Cartesian coordinate hand controller for this purpose. The device design recommended is an XYZ stage attached to a three-roll wrist which positions a flight-type handgrip. Six degrees of freedom are transduced and control brushless DC motor servo electronics similar in design to those used in computer controlled robotic manipulators. This general approach supports scaled force, velocity, and position feedback to aid an operator in achieving telepresence. The generality of the device and control system characteristics allow the use of inverse dynamics robotic control methodology to project slave robot system forces and inertias to the operator (in scaled form) and at the same time to reduce the apparent inertia of the robotic handcontroller itself. The current control design, which is not multiple fault tolerant, can be extended to make flight control or space use possible. The proposed handcontroller will have advantages in space-based applications where an operator must control several robot arms in a simultaneous and coordinated fashion. It will also have applications in intravehicular activities (within the Space Station) such as microgravity experiments in metallurgy and biological experiments that require isolation from the astronauts' environment. For ground applications, the handcontroller will be useful in underwater activities where the generality of the proposed handcontroller becomes an asset for operation of many different manipulator types. Also applications will emerge in the Military, Construction, and Maintenance/Manufacturing areas including ordnance handling, mine removal, NBC (Nuclear, Chemical, Biological) operations, control of vehicles, and operating strength and agility enhanced machines. Future avionics applications including advanced helicopter and aircraft control may also become important.

Jacobus, Heidi↗
NASA NTRS1974

V/STOL flying qualities research using the X-22A

The X-22A has four ducted propellers and four engines. The engines are connected to a common system of rotating shafts which distribute propulsive power to the four propellers. Changes in the direction of the thrust vector are accomplished by rotating the ducts, which are interconnected so that all rotate through the same angle. Thrust magnitude is determined by a collective pitch lever, very similar to a helicopter. There are four variable stability system (VSS) controllers: thrust, pitch, roll, and yaw, and three artificial feel servos for the evaluation pilot cockpit controls, each employing electrohydraulic servos. Longitudinal flying qualities for STOL landing approach, and lateral-directional flying qualities and control power requirements for STOL landing approach are discussed. Attention is given to the data acquisition and processing system.

Smith, R. E.↗