{"title":"Skydiving technique analysis from a control engineering perspective: Developing a tool for studying human motor equivalence","authors":"Anna Clarke , Per-Olof Gutman","doi":"10.1016/j.ifacsc.2023.100218","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacsc.2023.100218","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study offers a novel mathematical approach to sports technique analysis and motor equivalency investigation. The method is aimed to deal with intensive interaction between the environment and a trainee, and activities for which imitation learning is less efficient and movements must be established individually. The free-fall stage of skydiving is investigated, when aerial manoeuvres are performed by changing the body posture and thus deflecting the surrounding airflow. The natural learning process of body flight is hard and protracted as the required movements are not similar to our natural movement repertoire, are often counter-intuitive, and highly dependant on anthropometric factors. The proposed method extracts the trainee’s movement patterns via Principal Component Analysis, and analyses the performed manoeuvres by modelling the dynamic response of the closed-loop feedback control system comprising the body actuated by each pattern and the environment. The method can provide a valuable insight into the subject’s learning process. The main novelty is that instead of comparing trainee’s movements to a template or a movement pattern, extracted from a top-rated athlete, we offer an independent way of technique analysis. Design tools of automatic control theory are utilised to suggest technique modifications that provide the desired performance improvement. An unconventional insight into the motor equivalence problem is achieved: Multiple body degrees-of-freedom are needed for shaping dynamic characteristics of the controlled plant. Movement patterns synergies provide a trade-off between these characteristics, e.g. stability and agility. The method is demonstrated on three case studies of aerial rotation of skilled, less-skilled, and elite skydivers.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":29926,"journal":{"name":"IFAC Journal of Systems and Control","volume":"24 ","pages":"Article 100218"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49763815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Daisuke Inoue , Yuji Ito , Takahito Kashiwabara , Norikazu Saito , Hiroaki Yoshida
{"title":"Partially Centralized Model-Predictive Mean Field Games for controlling multi-agent systems","authors":"Daisuke Inoue , Yuji Ito , Takahito Kashiwabara , Norikazu Saito , Hiroaki Yoshida","doi":"10.1016/j.ifacsc.2023.100217","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacsc.2023.100217","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Fast, high-performance control of large Multi-Agent Systems (MASs) is a major challenge. We address this problem using Mean Field Games (MFGs), which deduce the macroscopic dynamics of the density distribution of the agent population from the microscopic dynamics of each agent. To control MASs using the MFG, two main problems need to be solved: preventing control performance degradation caused by distribution estimation errors and ensuring the scalability of communication. To overcome these issues, we develop a new control method called the <em>Partially Centralized Model-Predictive MFG (PCMP-MFG)</em>. The proposed method solves the first issue by repeating distribution estimation and model-predictive control at each time; it solves the second by introducing broadcast control. Our numerical results show that the proposed PCMP-MFG method outperforms the conventional MFG-based method in a wide parameter range.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":29926,"journal":{"name":"IFAC Journal of Systems and Control","volume":"24 ","pages":"Article 100217"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49763798","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Fixed/predefined-time synchronization on complex networks in the light of T-S fuzzy system","authors":"Dongmei Ruan , Shiju Yang , Wanli Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.ifacsc.2023.100216","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacsc.2023.100216","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This research studies the realization of fixed-time synchronization and predefined-time synchronization over complex networks in the light of T-S fuzzy system by employing ameliorating control strategies. Firstly, different from the previous results, some novel results of considered system are acquired to ensure fixed-time synchronization and predefined-time synchronization. Secondly, some more relaxed conditions are acquired for fixed-time synchronization, besides, several exacter settling time estimates are obtained by using some specific functions. Thirdly, via special control schemes, the synchronization based on predefined-time method is studied, whose synchronization time can be set up in advance according to actual needs. It is worth noting that synchronization time is not only irrelevant to the system parameters but also independent of the initial states. Particularly, the necessary conditions of fixed-time and predefined-time synchronization on T-S fuzzy complex networks are obtained. Lastly, the improved fixed-time and predefined-time synchronization results are confirmed by a numerical simulation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":29926,"journal":{"name":"IFAC Journal of Systems and Control","volume":"24 ","pages":"Article 100216"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49743443","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Francesco Abbracciavento , Francesco Zinnari , Simone Formentin , Andrea G. Bianchessi , Sergio M. Savaresi
{"title":"Multi-intersection traffic signal control: A decentralized MPC-based approach","authors":"Francesco Abbracciavento , Francesco Zinnari , Simone Formentin , Andrea G. Bianchessi , Sergio M. Savaresi","doi":"10.1016/j.ifacsc.2022.100214","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacsc.2022.100214","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Traffic signal control is considered as one of the most important urban traffic management tools, due to its effectiveness in reducing traffic congestion, resulting in smoother and more secure vehicle flows. This work proposes a decentralized Model Predictive Control<span><span> (MPC) strategy for the minimization of the queue length in a multi-intersection road network. Specifically, we show that our efficient linear formulation enables real-time control of the intersections’ signals, while taking into account safety constraints and pedestrian requests. A novel hyper-parameter </span>tuning algorithm for decentralized MPC (based on Bayesian Optimization) is also proposed. The method is finally tested on a microscopic traffic simulator faithfully reproducing the layout of a real multi-intersection framework in Monza, Italy, fed with real traffic profiles. Simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control approach, which can be easily scaled up to larger networks by keeping comparable performance with the state-of-the-art centralized methods.</span></p></div>","PeriodicalId":29926,"journal":{"name":"IFAC Journal of Systems and Control","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 100214"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2023-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49764242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"On convergence of nonlinear tracking differentiator based on finite-time stable system subject to stochastic noise","authors":"Bao-Zhu Guo , Hao-Lan Peng , Ze-Hao Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.ifacsc.2023.100215","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacsc.2023.100215","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In this paper, we consider convergence for a nonlinear tracking differentiator constructed from a finite-time stable system, where the input signal is corrupted by bounded stochastic noise. The existence of global weak solutions is firstly proved. It is shown that the nonlinear tracking differentiator tracks the input signal in the almost surely practical sense. With the same tuning parameter, the convergence accuracy is shown to be higher than that of the linear tracking differentiator. Some numerical simulations are performed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed differentiator.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":29926,"journal":{"name":"IFAC Journal of Systems and Control","volume":"23 ","pages":"Article 100215"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2023-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49764246","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Fleet sizing and charger allocation in electric vehicle sharing systems","authors":"Yuntian Deng , Abhishek Gupta , Ness B. Shroff","doi":"10.1016/j.ifacsc.2022.100210","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacsc.2022.100210","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In this paper, we propose a closed queueing network model for performance analysis of electric vehicle sharing systems with a certain number of chargers in each neighborhood. Depending on the demand distribution, we devise algorithms to compute the optimal fleet size and number of chargers required to maximize profit while maintaining a certain quality of service. We show that the profit is concave with respect to the fleet size and the number of chargers at each charging point. If more chargers are installed within the city, we show that it can not only reduce the fleet size, but it also improves the availability of vehicles at all the points within a city. We further show through simulation that two slow chargers may outperform one fast charger when the variance of charging time becomes relatively large in comparison to the mean charging time.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":29926,"journal":{"name":"IFAC Journal of Systems and Control","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100210"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72268536","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"On optimal gear shifting in city bicycles","authors":"Dario Savaresi, Federico Dettù, Simone Formentin, Sergio Matteo Savaresi","doi":"10.1016/j.ifacsc.2022.100211","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacsc.2022.100211","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Standard and electric bicycles are expected to become the principal mean of transport for future short-range mobility. Solving the comfort problem is thus becoming more and more urgent, nonetheless it is known to be a hard task, especially because the cyclist is an active agent while pedaling. As far as we are aware, this is the first paper addressing the comfort problem during the gear shifting phase. Under non-restrictive assumptions, an algorithmic solution is developed providing an estimate for the best instant for comfort shifting. This problem is formulated as a local minimum acceleration point seeking. To solve it, the pedaling cadence is estimated from the rear wheel speed, after learning the gear ratios. Experiments performed on a real testing set-up are finally provided to assess the performance of the proposed approach.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":29926,"journal":{"name":"IFAC Journal of Systems and Control","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100211"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72268535","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A dynamic model of a skydiver with validation in wind tunnel and free fall","authors":"Anna Clarke , Per-Olof Gutman","doi":"10.1016/j.ifacsc.2022.100207","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacsc.2022.100207","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>An innovative approach of gaining insight into motor skills involved in human body flight is proposed. The key idea is the creation of a model autonomous system capable of virtually performing skydiving maneuvers.</p><p>A dynamic skydiver model and simulator is developed, comprising biomechanical, aerodynamic, and kinematic models, dynamic equations of motion, and a virtual reality environment. Segment relative orientations, and resulting inertial body angular position and velocity are measured in skydiving experiments in a vertical wind tunnel<span> and in free fall. These experimental data are compared with corresponding simulation data to tune and verify the model for basic skydiving maneuvers. The model is further extended to reconstruct advanced aerial maneuvers, such as transitions between stable equilibria<span>. The experimental data are used to estimate skydiver’s conscious inputs as a function of time, via an Unscented Kalman Filter modified for this purpose.</span></span></p></div>","PeriodicalId":29926,"journal":{"name":"IFAC Journal of Systems and Control","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100207"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72268603","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Minimal-norm state-feedback globally non-overshooting/ undershooting tracking control of multivariable systems","authors":"Abhishek Dhyani, Tushar Jain","doi":"10.1016/j.ifacsc.2022.100212","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacsc.2022.100212","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The non-overshooting/undershooting (NOUS) tracking control<span><span> objective in the output response of the closed-loop system has several practical applications in “positioning” control problems. Recently, a state-feedback gain matrix<span> based on Moore’s eigenstructure assignment<span> technique to achieve the above control objective with a desired convergence rate in the output error from any initial condition is designed, referred to as globally monotonic tracking control, which is a convex optimization<span> problem. From a practical viewpoint, a feedback gain matrix of a minimal norm is often required to install low-cost actuators in the overall closed-loop system. However, there is always a trade-off between the control objectives of achieving a NOUS tracking response with the desired convergence rate and a minimal norm of the feedback gain matrix. Besides, the latter control requirement renders the globally NOUS control optimization problem nonconvex. In this paper, a convex optimization-based </span></span></span></span>iterative algorithm is developed to synthesize a minimal-norm state-feedback globally NOUS tracking controller. An upper bound on the achievable settling time in all output responses for the closed-loop eigenvalues lying in a prespecified region of the complex plane is also provided. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated through a numerical example, followed by experimental validation on a multitank system.</span></p></div>","PeriodicalId":29926,"journal":{"name":"IFAC Journal of Systems and Control","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100212"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72268604","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dario Giuseppe Lui , Alberto Petrillo , Stefania Santini
{"title":"Exponential bipartite tracking consensus in cooperative-antagonistic nonlinear Multi-Agent Systems with multiple communication time-varying delays","authors":"Dario Giuseppe Lui , Alberto Petrillo , Stefania Santini","doi":"10.1016/j.ifacsc.2022.100209","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ifacsc.2022.100209","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><span><span>This article deals with the bipartite tracking consensus problem for high-order nonlinear Multi-Agent Systems (MASs) with cooperative–antagonistic agents interacting via a directed non-ideal communication network. For a more realistic interaction scenario, a different time-varying delay is associated to each communication link connecting a couple of agents, whose actual value is determined by the current wireless channel condition. In this context, we propose a novel distributed delayed bipartite tracking consensus control strategy which ensures the exponential stability of the whole </span>networked control system. The theoretical analysis, carried out via </span>Lyapunov theory and Halanay’s Lemma, provides the control gains tuning rule and an estimation of the maximum admissible delay upper bound. Numerical simulations corroborate the theoretical derivations.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":29926,"journal":{"name":"IFAC Journal of Systems and Control","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100209"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2022-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121856548","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}