Cooperative Passivity-Based Control of Nonlinear Mechanical Systems

In this work, we propose two cooperative passivity-based control methods for networks of mechanical systems. By cooperatively synchronizing the end-effector coordinates of the individual agents, we achieve cooperation between systems of different types. The underlying passivity property of our control approaches ensures that cooperation is...

Modelling and stabilization of coil deposition in intracranial aneurysm treatment: Improving the safety of neurovascular interventions

An intracranial aneurysm is a bulge in the cerebral vasculature. The rupture of an aneurysm results in a brain bleed. As a consequence, most patients become severely handicapped or may even die. Preventive treatment with endovascular coiling is controversial due to the high risk of complications. These complications are partly caused by the...

Distributed IDA-PBC for a class of nonholonomic mechanical systems

Nonholonomic mechanical systems encompass a large class of practically interesting robotic structures, such as wheeled mobile robots, space manipulators, and multi-fingered robot hands. However, few results exist on the cooperative control of such systems in a generic, distributed approach. In this work we extend a recently developed...

Cooperative R-passivity based control for mechanical systems

In this work we consider the problem of cooperative end-effector control between heterogeneous fully actuated agents when varying-time delays and/or packet loss are present. We couple agents via outputs encoded with task-space coordinates and velocities that are transformed into wave-variables to overcome the destabilising effects of the...

Energy-Based Modelling and Control for Helicopter Autorotation: A port-Hamiltonian approach

Automation is playing an increasingly important role in today’s society and is revolutionising nearly all industries. In this thesis, the helicopter industry is considered. Helicopters are complex systems capable of Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL). Many companies and organisations are now looking to automate VTOL vehicles in order to break...

Cooperative r-Passivity-Based Control: Development of a Multi-Agent Passivity-Based Control Scheme with Robustness towards Network Effects

In this work we consider the problem of cooperative formation control between heterogeneous agents when time-varying delays and/or packet loss are present. Specifically, we introduce a control law for nonlinear fully actuated mechanical agents that separates the cooperative coordinates from the local coordinates, which removes the necessity for...

Distributed Control of Underactuated and Heterogeneous Mechanical Systems: Using Passivity-Based Control by Interconnection and Damping Assignment as a Tool for Distributed Control Design and Human-Machine Interaction

Passivity-based control is a well-established technique for coordinating groups of fully-actuated systems, but existing methods for underactuated systems are limited to groups of homogeneous systems, coordinate synchronization tasks, and to specific applications. We propose a generic distributed control method that enables heterogeneous groups...

Distributed control of heterogeneous underactuated mechanical systems

We show how passivity-based control by interconnection and damping assignment (IDA-PBC) can be used as a design procedure to derive distributed control laws for undirected connected networks of underactuated and fully-actuated heterogeneous mechanical systems. With or without leaders, agents are able to reach a stationary formation in the...

Nonlinear Control For a Small-Scale Helicopter UAV in Autorotation

With the increased use of small unmanned systems, and even automated flight, safety is becoming an issue. For helicopters specifically, engine failure typically results in a crash. For manned helicopters, autorotation is a manoeuvre used to reduce the downward speed and land at safe velocities. In this thesis, we examine a technique of modelling...