Dear IEEE Society Members,

This is an announcement for the IEEE JRACS Chapter Kick-off meeting and monthly Technical Seminar.
If you are planning to attend please register using the link below.

This is an open event, so please feel free to forward this information to your colleagues or anyone that could be interested in the topic.
Finally, if your company is interested in sponsoring food/drinks for this or for a future event please contact me.

Meeting Agenda:

5:30pm Networking & Registration
5:50pm Official JRACS Chapter Kickoff
6:00pm Technical Presentation
7:00pm Adjourn

IEEE Joint Robotics & Automation – Controls Systems (JRACS) Chapter Seminar

Incorporating Input Saturation for
Underactuated Surface Vessel Trajectory Tracking Control


By Dr. Farbod Fahimi

Assistant Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Alabama Huntsville

University of Alabama Huntsville (UAH), Olin B. King Technology Hall, Room S105
5000 Technology Drive, Huntsville, AL 35899
Thursday March 15, 6:00pm-7:00pm

Soft drinks will be provided

Please Register at:
https://meetings.vtools.ieee.org/meeting_view/list_meeting/11027

If your company is interested in sponsoring food/drinks for this event
please contact the event organizers (see below).

Abstract:

A Nonlinear Model Predictive Controller (NMPC) for trajectory tracking of surface vessels is presented. NMPC calculates the future control inputs based on the present state variables by optimizing a cost function. The fact that cost function incorporates input constraints as well as state errors in determining the control inputs is exploited. This method can be applied to all systems with input saturation. NMPC formulation and derivation of input constraints are presented. Here the controller is designed based on a 3 DOF nonlinear dynamic model of the vessel. The performance of the controller is demonstrated by simulations. A constant speed sine trajectory is defined as desired path and the simulation results for input saturation case show the control inputs (propeller speed and rudder angle of the vessel) remain within the saturation limits in extreme maneuvers, the vessel recovers from saturation. The vessel follows the trajectory very closely when the inputs are not saturated.

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Fahimi has over 10 years of research experience in dynamic modeling, system identification, linear and nonlinear controls, with applications to robotic system and autonomous vehicles. He received a PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering on dynamic modeling of flexible multi-body systems in 1999. He has graduated 8 Masters students, and has offered several senior design projects. He is currently supervising several full time and part time graduate students. He has taught several undergraduate and graduate level courses such as Dynamics, Vibrations, System Dynamics, Elasticity, Finite Element Method, Introduction to Robotics, and Advanced Robotics. He has authored a graduate level text book titles: Autonomous Robots; Modeling, Path Planning, and Control.


For more information please contact:
Leandro G. Barajas, Ph.D., PMP, IEEE SM
IEEE JRACS Chapter Vice­-Chair, L.G.Barajas@ieee.org, +1(248) 705-8192

To be added or removed from the IEEE Huntsville Section email list,
just send an email to L.G.Barajas@ieee.org with ADD or REMOVE as the subject line.