Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1999. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 154-159). Also available on the Internet.

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The quantitative feedback theory (QFT) of Horowitz is theoretically well developed for multivariable systems but there is not sufficient knowledge on its application to practical problems. A "flying machine" consisting of an airframe with two independently controlled sets of wings has been designed and constructed as a 2-input 2-output control problem. The airframe is constrained to move vertically on guide wires and to rotate about a pivot. Air flow over the wings is provided by two 7.SkW fans operated without any attempt at providing non-turbulent flow. The arrangement of the wings is such that in open loop, the dynamic behaviour of the airframe from the rear set of wings to the height is non-minimum phase. Additionally, the airframe is unstable for some flight conditions. This uncertain, non-linear and highly disturbed plant provides an ideal practical environment in which to test controller design theory. The construction, modelling, parameter estimation and simulation of the flying machine is described. Three different controller structures are disGussed, with actual controller designs arrived at from QFT understanding. The controller designs for the flying machine take into account parameter uncertainty and trade off disturbance attenuation against rate and amplitude saturation at the wing angle inputs. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1989.

Various roles for operators in human-machine systems have been proposed. This thesis shows that all of these views have in common the fact that operators perform best when given feedback that matches their intent. Past studies have shown that position control is superior to rate control except when operating large-workspace and/or dynamically slow manipulators and for exact tracking tasks. Operators of large-workspace and/or dynamically slow manipulators do not receive immediate position feedback. To remedy this lack of position feedback, a ghost arm overlay was displayed to operators of a dynamically slow manipulator, giving feedback that matches their intent. Operators performed several simple one- and two-dimensional tasks (point-to-point motion, tracking, path following) with three different controllers (position control with and without a ghost, rate control) to indicate how task conditions influence operator intent. Giving the operator position feedback via the ghost significantly increased performance with the position controller and made it comparable to performance with the rate control. These results were further validated by testing coordinated position control with and without a ghost arm and coordinated rate control on an excavator simulator. The results show that position control with the ghost arm is comparable, but not superior to rate control for the dynamics of our excavator example. Unlike previous work, this research compared the fuel efficiencies of different HMIs, as well as the time efficiencies. This work not only provides the design law of matching the feedback to the operator intent, but also gives a guideline for when to choose position or rate control based on the speed of the system.

There are emerging requirements for high accuracy multi-DOF actuators in numerous applications. As one of the novel motors capable of multi-DOF manipulation, permanent magnet spherical motors (PMSMs) that can provide continuous and dexterous motion in one joint have been widely studied for their advantages in structure and energy efficiency. The demands to bring forward the performance of PMSMs for precision applications have motivated this thesis to develop a closed-loop orientation control system with high accuracy and bandwidth. Unlike traditional control methods for PMSMs, which rely on explicit orientation feedback, a new control method (referred to here as direct field-feedback control or in short DFC) directly utilizing the magnetic fields for feedback have been developed in this thesis. Because magnetic field measurements are almost instantaneous and the need for real-time orientation estimation is eliminated in DFC, the system sampling time is greatly reduced. Meanwhile, several field-based methods have been developed for the major components in the DFC system and each component can be processed independently and concurrently with the magnetic field measurements. The parallel computation further improves the system bandwidth and also reduces accumulated error. The DFC system has been experimentally implemented and evaluated. The results show excellent control performances in terms of accuracy and bandwidth. To facilitate the design and analysis of the DFC system, several new algorithms have been developed, which include the modeling and computing of magnetic fields as well as forces and torques, an analysis of bijective relationship between orientation and magnetic fields, and a method for calibration and reconstruction of the rotor magnetic field in 3 dimensional space. These algorithms not only enable the implementation of the DFC system for a PMSM, but also benefit the PMSM studies in design, modeling and field-based sensing. While the immediate outcome of this research is a control system for PMSMs, this new control method can be applied to a broad spectrum of electromagnetic motion systems.

Bibliography: leaves 176-188 / xvii, 188 leaves : ill ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, 1992?

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri--Rolla, 2007. / Vita. The entire thesis text is included in file. Title from title screen of thesis/dissertation PDF file (viewed March 26, 2008) Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, 1992? / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 176-188).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Auburn University. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 100-106).

Thesis (MSc. (R)) - University of Glasgow, 2007. / MSc. (R) thesis submitted to the Department of Computing Science, Faculty of Information and Mathematical Sciences, University of Glasgow, 2007. Includes bibliographical references.