Development of Interactive Modeling,
Simulation, Animation, and Real-Time
Control (MoSART) Environments for
Research and Education
Armando A. Rodriguez Chen-I Lim Richard P. Metzger Jr.
Multidisciplinary Initiative on Distance Learning (MIDL) Seminar
Thursday, November 19 th 1998,
Arizona State University http://www.eas.asu.edu/~aar/research/mosart/Presentations/

•
Motivation
•
Description of Interactive MoSART
Environments
•
Development of Environments
•
Utility of Environments
•
Summary and Future Directions

r e
K
Controller u d i
P
Plant d o y n
•
Design K based on model P o s.t. nominal CLS exhibits:
– Stability and Stability Robustness
– Good Command Following
– Good Disturbance Rejection
– Good Noise Attenuation
– Robust Performance

•
Flexible Autonomous Machines operating in an uncertain Environment
– semiconductor processes and manufacturing
– robotics and automation
– advanced vehicles and transportations systems

•Working Model (Knowledge Revolution)
•DADS/Plant (CADSI)
…generic, not optimized for specific systems
(both are industrial sponsors)

•
Advanced visualization tools are needed for system analysis and design.
•
Research / education can be enhanced with interactive multimedia environments.
. . .New Enabling Technologies

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Affordable High Performance Computing
•
Hi-fidelity Simulation Capability
– Simulink / MATLAB, etc…
– Visual C++
•
PC Animation Creation / Manipulation Technologies
– 3D Modeling Software (e.g. 3D Studio, RPM D3D toolbox, etc.)
– Microsoft DirectX (provides: 3D-animation, sound, video, user-input, etc.)
•
Object Oriented Programming (OOP) Framework
– ActiveX
/ OLE

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PC-based Networking
– Windows NT
•
Distributed Computation
– Distributed Component Object Module
(DCOM)

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User friendly system-specific interactive
MoSART control environments
•
High performance: Windows / C++
•
Advanced visualization tools: Direct 3D
•
Extensible: integration with MATLAB /
Toolboxes
•
A-Lab enables extensibility via SIMULINK

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Distributed Systems and Controls Lecture /
Laboratory / Research Facility
•
50 Networked PC-workstations
•
Sponsors:
– NSF, Intel, Microsoft, Boeing, Xilinx, SEM,
Mathworks, ISI, CADSI, Knowledge
Revolution, National Instruments

Interactive MoSART Environments
Under Development
•
Pendulums:
– Fixed Base, Cart, Rotary Arm, Flexible, Seesaw-Cart, Ball and Beam
•
PUMA 560 Robotic Manipulator: Single, Dual, Multiple.
•
Helicopter: Single and Twin Lift
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High-Performance Aircraft
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Submarine
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Missile-Target Engagements
• Adaptive Learning Algorithms (“Evasive Monkey”)
•
Launch Vehicle
•
Satellite
•
Spring-Mass-Dashpot
•
Ball and Beam

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Accelerated-time simulation
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Alter model/controller:
– structure
– parameters (on-the-fly)
•
Advanced visualization:
– real-time graphics
– visual indicators/aids
– 3D animation models
•
Direct user input via joystick, mouse, etc.
•
Integration with MATLAB and Simulink

Aerodynamic Derivatives Near Hover

Vertical Dynamics Near Hover
- Collective Control
Open loop poles:
Z / B lc
Vertical Damping
Mode

Longitudinal Dynamics Near Hover
.

0
..

= 0
..
lc x -g
1
M q
0
M u
0 X u
B lc
- Cyclic Control
Open loop poles:
Horizontal
Damping Mode
.
.

 x
0
M
Blc x
Blc

/ B lc
Unstable
Backflapping Mode
.
X / B lc …need AFCS to minimize pilot workload

Longitudinal Dynamics Near Hover
Transfer function:
Zero near origin
Open loop poles & zeros:
Performance-Pitch Tradeoff:

Controller #1
(proportional only)
Controller #2
(Dynamical Feedback)

Desired speed
-
+ k (s+2.5) s
Cyclic control,
B lc
Horizontal
Speed Dynamics
.
Speed, x
(s+1) 2 (2500)
( s + 50 ) 2

Direct-3D
Visual C++/ MFC
MATLAB Engine v5.0
Windows ’95/NT
Pentium PC
System Requirements: Pentium PC running Windows 95/NT. 32
MB RAM. Direct-3D 3.0.
Recommended: Pentium II 266 w/ MMX running Windows NT
4.0. 64 MB RAM. Direct-3D 3.0.

Interactive Environment System
Modules
Interactive Environment Application
Program User Interface
(PUI)
Simulation Module
(SIM)
Graphical
Animation Module
(GAM)
Help/Instruct Module
(HIM)
Communication Module (COM)
Physical System Simulink MATLAB
Other
Applications
ActiveX
Internet

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Program User Interface
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Simulation Module
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Graphical Animation Module
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Communications Module
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Help-Instruct Module

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User Friendly Windows Interface
– Menus
– Multiple windows
– Program control toolbars
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Interactive System Diagrams
– Block diagram representation of system
– Point-and-click access

Through the point-and-click system diagram interface, a user can:
• Edit system parameters on-the-fly
• Change reference commands:
- Signal generator
- User joystick input
• Call up real-time graphs of signals & outputs

•
Numerical Simulation
– Fast compiled C++: >3000 Hz / 266MHz PII
– Better than real-time simulation
•
On-the-Fly Parameter Editing
– Plant models
– Controller parameters
– Reference Commands, Disturbances, Noise, etc.
– Integration methods: Euler, Runge-Kutta 4, etc.
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Extensibility

Simulation Module: Extensibility
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Changing plant parameters on-the-fly
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Playback of externally generated simulation: e.g. MATLAB/SIMULINK
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Dynamic linking: MATLAB Engine ...

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3D Animation
– Direct-3D
– Texture-mapped, light-shaded polygons
– Wireframe animations from previous simulations
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Visualization Tools & Indicators
– Real-Time Variable Display Window
– 2D Animation Windows: indicators
– Real-time multiple-graph plotting
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Extensibility

Animation Module: Extensibility
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Direct-3D standard file format (.x files)
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3D modeling packages: e.g. 3D Studio
•
Libraries of 3D objects widely available:
Internet & commercial vendors.

• http://www.3dcafe.com

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Internal data between environment system modules
•
External Application Communication
– Transfer saved simulation data between files and application
– Communicate with different applications on the same PC using Microsoft’s ActiveX
– Communicate with different applications on different computers (e.g. UNIX) through internet
(TCP/IP) / network

External Commmunication :
Example of Simulation Data Flow
A-Lab
SIMULINK
Simulation
Animation
Module
Animation block
COM
Module
Active-X
Interface
Active-X
Automation
S-Function
(.DLL)

•
Consists of several System-Specific
Animation-Enabler Blocks (AEBs)
(SIMULINK plug-ins)….6 DOF AEB
SIMULINK

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On-line Help
– Instructions on using the environment
– Program reference
•
HTML / PDF Documents
– Model documentation/ references
– Interactive tutorials

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Versatile system-specific interactive MoSART environments
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Windows / C++ / Direct-X / MATLAB
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User friendly: accessible & intuitive
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User can alter system model structure & parameters (on-the-fly)
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Highly extensible: ability to incorporate new simulation/animation models

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More visual indicators
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Advanced SIM and GAM (e.g. TLHS)
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Expanded HIM: web support, multimedia
– Develop Model Documentation Feature
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Enhanced integration with MATLAB / SIMULINK /
LABVIEW / Excel….all are ActiveX Compatible
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Integrated design & analysis environment
•
Develop Additional Environments
… development of
Facility see: http://www.eas.asu.edu/~aar/research/mosart/Presentations/