Crash Control is a proportional derivative controller designed to prevent small rovers from crashing into frontal obstacles. This project applies control theory to conduct end-to-end controller design for Dartmouth’s Control Theory class.
Crash Control
Timeframe
Nov 2021
(3 weeks)
Team
2 designers
Role
system ID, iterative design, data analysis
Scope
execute end to end control theory project
Tools
MATLAB (SISO Tool), oscilloscope, multimeter, electronic components
Process
System Identification > Controller Modeling in MATLAB > 15 Iterations with Testing > Performance Analysis
Detailed Process Diagram
Video Demonstration
This video shows a qualitative assessment of the rover’s behavior, determined as successful for the quick response, relative speed, and low level of oscillation. We used Tracker to formally characterize the system, which is how we determined that our rover passed all the specifications we established.
Full Project Report
Key Takeaways
In only 3 weeks, my team went through the end-to-end process of designing a compensator using classical control theory. I learned to navigate the ambiguities of electromechanical design by defining and evaluating my own success metrics, as well as systemically implementing and debugging my project. My team achieved full marks for this project.