Development and Control of a Compliant Asymmetric Antagonistic Actuator for Energy Efficient Mobility

The article presents a method for optimizing driving strategies aimed at minimizing energy consumption while driving. The method was developed for the needs of an electric powered racing vehicle built for the purposes of the Shell Eco-marathon (SEM), the most famous and largest race of energy efficient vehicles. Model-based optimization was used to determine the driving strategy. The numerical model was elaborated in Simulink environment, which includes both the electric vehicle model and the environment, i.e., the race track as well as the vehicle environment and the atmospheric conditions. The vehicle model itself includes vehicle dynamic model, numerical model describing issues concerning resistance of rolling tire, resistance of the propulsion system, aerodynamic phenomena, model of the electric motor, and control system. For the purpose of identifying design and functional features of individual subassemblies and components, numerical and stand tests were carried out. The model itself was tested on the research tracks to tune the model and determine the calculation parameters. The evolutionary algorithms, which are available in the MATLAB Global Optimization Toolbox, were used for optimization. In the race conditions, the model was verified during SEM races in Rotterdam where the race vehicle scored the result consistent with the results of simulation calculations. In the following years, the experience gathered by the team gave us the vice Championship in the SEM 2016 in London.

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A Review of Switched Inertance Hydraulic Converter Technology

BATH/ASME 2018 Symposium on Fluid Power and Motion Control ◽

10.1115/fpmc2018-8829 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Chenggang Yuan ◽

Min Pan ◽

Andrew Plummer

Keyword(s):

Power Management ◽

Energy Efficient ◽

Control Strategies ◽

New Technology ◽

High Energy ◽

Management Systems ◽

Hydraulic Power ◽

Controlled Systems ◽

Hydraulic Machines ◽

And Control

Digital hydraulics is a new technology providing an alternative to conventional proportional or servovalve-controlled systems in the area of fluid power. Research is driven by the need for highly energy efficient hydraulic machines but is relatively immature compared to other energy-saving technologies. Digital hydraulic applications, such as digital pumps, digital valves and actuators, switched inertance hydraulic converters (SIHCs) and digital hydraulic power management systems, all promise high energy efficiency. This review introduces the development of SIHCs and evaluates the device configurations, performance and control strategies that are found in current SIHC research, particularly focusing on the work being undertaken in last 15 years. The designs for highspeed switching valves are evaluated, and their advantages and limitations are discussed. This article concludes with some suggestions for the future development of SIHCs.

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Embodied intelligence via learning and evolution

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-021-25874-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Agrim Gupta ◽

Silvio Savarese ◽

Surya Ganguli ◽

Li Fei-Fei

Keyword(s):

Intelligent Control ◽

Energy Efficient ◽

Large Scale ◽

Complex Environments ◽

Environmental Complexity ◽

Baldwin Effect ◽

Computational Framework ◽

Mechanistic Basis ◽

Embodied Intelligence ◽

And Control

AbstractThe intertwined processes of learning and evolution in complex environmental niches have resulted in a remarkable diversity of morphological forms. Moreover, many aspects of animal intelligence are deeply embodied in these evolved morphologies. However, the principles governing relations between environmental complexity, evolved morphology, and the learnability of intelligent control, remain elusive, because performing large-scale in silico experiments on evolution and learning is challenging. Here, we introduce Deep Evolutionary Reinforcement Learning (DERL): a computational framework which can evolve diverse agent morphologies to learn challenging locomotion and manipulation tasks in complex environments. Leveraging DERL we demonstrate several relations between environmental complexity, morphological intelligence and the learnability of control. First, environmental complexity fosters the evolution of morphological intelligence as quantified by the ability of a morphology to facilitate the learning of novel tasks. Second, we demonstrate a morphological Baldwin effect i.e., in our simulations evolution rapidly selects morphologies that learn faster, thereby enabling behaviors learned late in the lifetime of early ancestors to be expressed early in the descendants lifetime. Third, we suggest a mechanistic basis for the above relationships through the evolution of morphologies that are more physically stable and energy efficient, and can therefore facilitate learning and control.

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DESIGN AND CONTROL OF RANGER: AN ENERGY-EFFICIENT, DYNAMIC WALKING ROBOT

Adaptive Mobile Robotics ◽

10.1142/9789814415958_0057 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 441-448 ◽

Cited By ~ 37

Author(s):

Pranav A. Bhounsule ◽

Jason Cortell ◽

Andy Ruina

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficient ◽

Dynamic Walking ◽

Walking Robot ◽

And Control

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Energy Efficient Multi-Robotic 3D Printing for Large-Scale Construction – Framework, Challenges, and a Systematic Approach

Volume 2: Manufacturing Processes; Manufacturing Systems; Nano/Micro/Meso Manufacturing; Quality and Reliability ◽

10.1115/msec2021-63787 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Azadeh Haghighi ◽

Abdullah Mohammed ◽

Lihui Wang

Keyword(s):

Additive Manufacturing ◽

3D Printing ◽

Energy Efficient ◽

Large Scale ◽

Systematic Approach ◽

Smart Manufacturing ◽

Energy Aware ◽

Robot Positioning ◽

Novel Concept ◽

And Control

Abstract An emerging trend in smart manufacturing of the future is robotic additive manufacturing or 3D printing which introduces numerous advantages towards fast and efficient printing of high-quality customized products. In the case of the construction industry, and specifically in large-scale settings, multi-robotic additive manufacturing (i.e., adopting a team of 3D printer robots) has been found to be a promising solution in order to overcome the existing size limitations. Consequently, several research efforts regarding the development and control of such robotic additive manufacturing solutions have been reported in the literature. However, given the increasing environmental concerns, establishing novel methodologies for energy-efficient processing and planning of these systems towards higher sustainability is necessary. This paper presents a novel framework towards energy-efficient multi-robotic additive manufacturing and describes the overall challenges with respect to the energy efficiency. The energy module of the proposed framework is implemented in a simulation environment. In addition, a systematic approach for energy-aware robot positioning is introduced based on the novel concept of reciprocal energy map. The reciprocal energy map is established based on the original energy map calculated by the energy module and can be used for identifying the low energy zones for positioning and relocation of robots during the printing process.

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Longitudinal Actuated Abdomen Control for Energy Efficient Flight of Insects

Energies ◽

10.3390/en13205480 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (20) ◽

pp. 5480

Author(s):

Titilayo Ogunwa ◽

Blake McIvor ◽

Nurkhairunisa Awang Jumat ◽

Ermira Abdullah ◽

Javaan Chahl

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficient ◽

Insect Flight ◽

Design Feature ◽

Unmanned Aircraft ◽

Longitudinal Control ◽

Flight Behaviour ◽

Aerodynamic Control ◽

The Cost ◽

And Control ◽

Control Surfaces

The actuated abdomens of insects such as dragonflies have long been suggested to play a role in optimisation and control of flight. We have examined the effect of this type of actuation in the simplified case of a small fixed wing aircraft to determine whether energetic advantages exist in normal flight when compared to the cost of actuation using aerodynamic control surfaces. We explore the benefits the abdomen/tail might provide to balance level flight against trim changes. We also consider the transient advantage of using alternative longitudinal control effectors in a pull up flight maneuver. Results show that the articulated abdomen significantly reduces energy consumption and increase performance in isolated manoeuvres. The results also indicate a design feature that could be incorporated into small unmanned aircraft under particular circumstances. We aim to highlight behaviours that would increase flight efficiency to inform designers of micro aerial vehicles and to aid the analysis of insect flight behaviour and energetics.

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