In nature, through millions of years of evolution, fish and cetaceans have developed fast efficient and highly manoeuvrable methods of marine propulsion. A recent explosion in demand for sub sea robotics, for conducting tasks such as sub sea exploration and survey has left developers desiring to capture some of the novel mechanisms evolved by fish and cetaceans to increase the efficiency of speed and manoeuvrability of sub sea robots. Research has revealed that interactions with vortices and other unsteady fluid effects play a significant role in the efficiency of fish and cetaceans. However attempts to duplicate this with robotic fish have been limited by the difficulty of predicting or sensing such uncertain fluid effects. This study aims to develop a gait generation method for a robotic fish with a degree of passivity which could allow the body to dynamically interact with and potentially synchronise with vortices within the flow without the need to actually sense them. In this study this is achieved through the development of a novel energy based gait generation tactic, where the gait of the robotic fish is determined through regulation of the state energy rather than absolute state position. Rather than treating fluid interactions as undesirable disturbances and `fighting' them to maintain a rigid geometric defined gait, energy based control allows the disturbances to the system generated by vortices in the surrounding flow to contribute to the energy of the system and hence the dynamic motion. Three different energy controllers are presented within this thesis, a deadbeat energy controller equivalent to an analytically optimised model predictive controller, a $H_\infty$ disturbance rejecting controller with a novel gradient decent optimisation and finally a error feedback controller with a novel alternative error metric. The controllers were tested on a robotic fish simulation platform developed within this project. The simulation platform consisted of the solution of a series of ordinary differential equations for solid body dynamics coupled with a finite element incompressible fluid dynamic simulation of the surrounding flow. results demonstrated the effectiveness of the energy based control approach and illustrate the importance of choice of controller in performance.

The objective of this study was to examine whether the factors which constitute the manufacturer/industrial-representative relationship, influence performance as predicted by control theory. In addition, the study evaluated the contribution of selected demographic factors such as size of the firm, and the representative's experience, on performance.

This thesis describes an all-in-one flight control system (FCS) that was designed for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The project focuses on the embedded hardware aspect of a stand-alone system with low-cost and reliability in mind.

This master thesis describes the design and implementation of control sys- tem for autonomous robot which is able to run through user defined points in unknown environment without colliding with obstacles. The work contains analysis of the available hardware and software solutions, modular design with control system implementation divided into separate subsystems (control, lo- calization, route planning, driving the robot using Hermit curves and low-level hardware control). The work also contains explanation of rework of the school robotic platform. The implementation was tested on a created robotic platform. Driving the robot along the Hermit curve allows smooth and in some cases quicker passage through defined points, than passage consisting of rotations on the spot and direct movements. 1

För att skapa en hållbar utveckling behöver alla aktörer i samhället arbeta tillsammans. Ekonomistyrning kan hjälpa företag att mäta och följa upp prestationer i syfte att kontrollera att de når uppsatta mål. Hållbarhet kan definieras på olika sätt, vilket kan försvåra arbetet med styrning av hållbarhet i företag. Tidigare forskning har nästan enbart fokuserat på stora företag trots att majoriteten av alla företag i EU är små och medelstora företag. Därför är syftet med denna studie att undersöka hur småföretag arbetar med hållbarhet och vilken roll ekonomistyrning har i detta arbete. Då det finns en begränsad mängd forskning om småföretag och hållbarhet syftar även studien till att bidra med nya insikter om hur småföretag kan gå tillväga för att bli mer hållbara, samt vilka hinder de möter under arbetet med hållbarhet. Till studien genomfördes fyra semistrukturerade intervjuer med småföretag i syfte att undersöka hur småföretag arbetar med ekonomistyrning för att uppnå långsiktiga hållbarhetsmål. De fyra fallföretagen arbetar med hållbarhet, har maximalt 50 anställda och verkar inom olika branscher. Med grund i Malmi och Browns (2008) modell för Management Control Systems identifierades och analyserades vilka styrsystem som förekommer vid arbete med hållbarhet i småföretag. Studien visar att småföretag saknar tillräckliga resurser för att kunna göra ett formellt och systematiskt styrningsarbete. Detta är en av anledningarna till att småföretag väljer att arbeta löpande med hållbarhet. Många småföretag har endast en ägare eller är familjeägda, vilket gör att ägarens definition till hållbarhet är avgörande för hur företaget arbetar med hållbarhet. Det är således även ägarens kompetens som påverkar graden av formaliserade ekonomistyrningssystem i företaget. / Most of the research on sustainability and Management Control Systems is based on large businesses even though the majority of all companies in the European Union are small and medium sized businesses. Small businesses can make a big impact on the current climate crisis, but since sustainability can be a complex issue and more advanced management in small business is limited, working towards sustainable development in small business could be a challenge. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to study how small businesses work to be more sustainable using Management Control Systems. For data collection, interviews were conducted in four small businesses who work with sustainability. The study finds that it can be hard for small businesses to work with sustainability due to lack of resources, which makes the use of Management Control Systems more informal and value based.

The consequences of traffic congestion include increased travel time, fuel consumption, and the number of crashes. Studies suggest that most traffic delays are due to nonrecurring traffic congestion. Adaptive traffic control using real-time data is effective in dealing with nonrecurring traffic congestion. Many adaptive traffic control algorithms used today are deterministic and prone to human error and limitation. Reinforcement learning allows the development of an optimal traffic control policy in an unsupervised manner. We have implemented a reinforcement learning algorithm that only requires information about the number of vehicles and the mean speed of each incoming road to streamline traffic in a four-way intersection. The reinforcement learning algorithm is evaluated against a deterministic algorithm and a fixed-time control schedule. Furthermore, it was tested whether reinforcement learning can be trained to prioritize emergency vehicles while maintaining good traffic flow. The reinforcement learning algorithm obtains a lower average time in the system than the deterministic algorithm in eight out of nine experiments. Moreover, the reinforcement learning algorithm achieves a lower average time in the system than the fixed-time schedule in all experiments. At best, the reinforcement learning algorithm performs 13% better than the deterministic algorithm and 39% better than the fixed-time schedule. Moreover, the reinforcement learning algorithm could prioritize emergency vehicles while maintaining good traffic flow.

[pt] A exploração da Logística como atividade estratégica é o resultado da combinação entre a globalização, o aumento da proliferação dos produtos e da utilização de novas tecnologias, como por exemplo, a Tecnologia da Informação. Os Sistemas de Controle de Armazéns (Warehouse Control Systems WCS) passaram a dar importância à localização do material em um endereço arbitrário no armazém, eliminando a necessidade de locais fixos para a armazenagem, permitindo a estocagem onde quer que haja espaço dentro do armazém. Um sistema computacional deve permitir a melhor utilização do espaço. Esta dissertação se propõe a expor a importância da Tecnologia de Informação para a logística, concebendo um projeto em uma empresa de pequeno porte que se enquadre nas técnicas de gestão de armazém, de modo a realizar o mapeamento da atual operação do armazém da empresa. A metodologia empregada foi estudo de caso, utilizando-se o processo de pesquisa-ação, pela necessidade de reavaliação contínua do modelo implementado. Foram realizadas análises das operações antes e durante a implementação do WCS no armazém da referida empresa, além da descrição de suas principais funções e atividades. Foram feitas considerações e discussões práticas sobre a eficiência das operações atuais, bem como de suas funções e objetivos. Foi proposto um novo padrão de execução para as operações de armazenagem com destaque ao endereçamento, separação de pedidos, embalagem, unitização e expedição. Uma base de dados e um novo layout foram constituídos com o objetivo de dar suporte a estas atividades. / [en] The exploration of Logistics as a strategic activity is the result of the combination and the use of new technologies, specially the Information Technology. Identified by area, properly registered and controlled by the computer, the Warehouse Control Systems (WCS), defines by an address the location of the material in the warehouse, eliminating the traditional existence of fixed places for storage and extending the stockpiling in several sections inside the warehouse,. The main objective of this dissertation is to conceive, in a small company, a project framed in the techniques of storage administration, or in other words, the development of the current operations of the company´s warehouse. The methodology used in the elaboration of this work included the action-research process, forced by the need of continuous reevaluation of the implemented model. The main functions and activities of the warehousing operations were described and analyzed before and after the implementation, with the intent to adjust the necessary modifications in the system and its operation. Several considerations and practical discussions are included about the current operation efficiency. A new standard for carrying out warehousing operations, to activities like location issues, separation requests, package, and shipment were suggested. A data base and a new layout have been developed in order to help the realization of these activities.

O objetivo do trabalho é apresentar o desenvolvimento, simulação e resultados práticos de um Sistema de controle de temperatura, para Experimentos Biomédicos que utilizam soluções aquecidas com vazão variável. O Sistema utiliza um Trocador de Calor projetado para aquecer uma solução que entra no dispositivo a uma temperatura inferior ou igual à do ambiente e sai com o valor programado. A solução é aquecida a partir da água de um reservatório com temperatura controlada. O Controlador de temperatura é do tipo proporcional-integral-derivativo digital e utiliza um microcontrolador para implementação do algoritmo de controle, da aquisição do sinal dos sensores de temperatura, do comando de atuadores e da interface com o usuário / The objective of the work is to present the development, simulation and practical results of a temperature control System for Biomedical Experiments that utilize heated solutions with variable outflow. The System uses a Heat Exchanger designed to heat the solution that enters into device with a lower or the same temperature as the environment and leaves with the programmed value. The Biomedical solution is heated using the Heat Exchanger and water of the reservoir where the temperature is controlled. The digital proportional-integral-derivative temperature Controller takes use of a microcontroller for implementation of the control algorithm, data acquisition of the temperature sensors, command of actuators and user interface

This thesis documents the modelling of generic Environmental Control System(ECS) of an aircraft in Modelica by utilizing components from free version of theTTECCS (Technical Thermodynamic Environmental Control and Cooling Systems) library. In doing so, components used for developing ECS from the TTECCS library are mathematically verified with theoretical formula in MATLAB. Selected components are investigated with valid input data to initialize the simulation and verify its behaviors with corresponding available data. Hereinafter, the object-oriented modelling method is used to integrate ECS components to develop a functional system. The main function of ECS is to regulate the pressure and temperature inside the cabin to accepted physiology flight safetylevels. Different types of ECS architecture are presented in this document. An ECS developed here is based on the bootstrap system and consists only one cooling unit comprised with the source, pipes, two heat exchanger, compressor, turbine, temper-ature control valve, pressure control valve, and sinks. Dry air(Ideal gas) is used as a medium in the system. Temperature drop along each component corresponds to available A320 cruise flight data in order to calculate the top level parameter and to initialize the components, subsequently an ECS system. Several systematized methods for Object-oriented modelling and system design were studied and steps are extracted accordingly that suits to initiate the procedurefor this project, which is also presented. Time domain simulation is performed inModelica and Dymola. A simplified control system is built to regulate the system, therefore restrained it as a future work to develop real in-flight condition control system of an ECS.Top level parameters were selected within valid customized ranges for developing a performance map of the components. After generating the map, optimal data from the map were taken to initialize final ECS. The simulation results of the final model is then compared to A320 flight data which is comparable in behavior; this was expected. Above all, simulation environment Modelica and free version of TTECCS library components are reliable to develop ECS in order to investigate ECS components behavior and predict cabin conditions before developing a prototype.

Este trabalho trata do projeto de um novo modelo de porta ferramenta assistido para ser utilizado em usinagens de ultraprecisão. O projeto conceitual foi concebido utilizando definições e princípios de projeto de maquinas de ultraprecisão. Com o modelamento concluído teve início a fase de simulação em elementos finitos. Simulações estáticas feitas com os materiais utilizados na fabricação do PFA - alumínio AISI 7075 e aço SAE 1020 - vieram comprovar a eficiência deste modelo, no que diz respeito ao deslocamento sob ação da carga aplicada por um atuador piezelétrico com deslocamento de 30m. Simulações dinâmicas também vieram comprovar que o modelo opera com deslocamentos de 30m e frequências de até 700 Hz utilizando o material de construção do PFA Al 7075, com quase nenhuma histerese. Em paralelo, foi projetado um sistema de controle proporcional integral derivativo (PID) para corrigir o posicionamento da ferramenta ao longo de todo o deslocamento. A geração de formas de ondas do tipo senoidal, quadrada, triangular e dente de serra para o deslocamento servem de forma a proporcionar usinagens variadas com alta precisão de deslocamento. A validação consistiu de testes em bancada e usinagens em alumínio AISI 6100, com variação de formas de onda e deslocamentos. Os resultados mostraram que este projeto de PFA em conjunto com o projeto do sistema de controle PID atuou perfeitamente para usinagens até 15m com frequências de até 30Hz / This paper addresses the design of a new model of assisted toolholder to be used in ultraprecision machining. The conceptual design was conceived utilizing definitions and design principles of ultraprecision machines. Finite element was performed once the modeling was completed. Static simulations with the material used to manufacture the PFA (AISI 1020 steel and 7075 aluminum) have proved the efficiency of this model, with regard the displacement of the tool under the action of a load of a piezoelectric actuator. Also dynamic simulations have demonstrated that the model operates with 30m displacements and frequencies of 700Hz using Al 7075 material with almost no hysteresis. In parallel, a proportional integral derivative (PID) control system was designed to correct positioning of the tool throughout the entire range of displacements. Sinusoidal, square, triangular and saw tooth waveforms were generated as a means of validate the displacement of the PFA during the machining of various features using a high precision control system. The validation consisted of tests during the machining of 6100 aluminum, with a range of waveforms and displacements and non-machining tests with the same displacements and frequencies. The results showed that the PFA design together with the control system acted perfectly for amplitudes up to 15m with frequencies up to 30Hz.