Nonlinear systems with disturbances: analysis, controller design and tradeoffs. A range of classical asymptotic methods (averaging, singular perturbations and slowly varying techniques) have been recently generalized to deal with nonlinear systems with disturbances. The goal of this proposal is the activation of these methods in analysis, controller design and understanding the design tradeoffs of nonlinear system with disturbances. Application areas are in adaptive, vibrational and gain schedul ....Nonlinear systems with disturbances: analysis, controller design and tradeoffs. A range of classical asymptotic methods (averaging, singular perturbations and slowly varying techniques) have been recently generalized to deal with nonlinear systems with disturbances. The goal of this proposal is the activation of these methods in analysis, controller design and understanding the design tradeoffs of nonlinear system with disturbances. Application areas are in adaptive, vibrational and gain scheduling control.Read moreRead less
Tools for analysis and controller design for nonlinear systems with disturbances. Control engineers often need to deal with nonlinear systems with disturbances (NSD). Analysis and controller design for NSD requires the use of a range of different tools including singular perturbations, averaging, slowly varying systems methods and large scale systems methods. However, often these tools are inadequate as they are only applicable to systems without disturbances. We propose to extend these tools to ....Tools for analysis and controller design for nonlinear systems with disturbances. Control engineers often need to deal with nonlinear systems with disturbances (NSD). Analysis and controller design for NSD requires the use of a range of different tools including singular perturbations, averaging, slowly varying systems methods and large scale systems methods. However, often these tools are inadequate as they are only applicable to systems without disturbances. We propose to extend these tools to NSD and apply them to a range of problems arising in analysis and controller design for NSD. These applications include vibrational control, gain scheduling, H-infinity control and adaptive control.Read moreRead less
Improved Capacitor Voltage Balance for Multicell Power Electronic Converters Controlled by Spectrally Optimal Modulation. There is a growing demand for high power and medium voltage energy conversion systems in a wide range of applications, including Rail, Renewable Energy, Defence and Electricity Distribution. Multicell-type multilevel converters are a very attractive means of satisfying this demand, but only if the cell voltages can be precisely regulated so as to ensure protection of the conv ....Improved Capacitor Voltage Balance for Multicell Power Electronic Converters Controlled by Spectrally Optimal Modulation. There is a growing demand for high power and medium voltage energy conversion systems in a wide range of applications, including Rail, Renewable Energy, Defence and Electricity Distribution. Multicell-type multilevel converters are a very attractive means of satisfying this demand, but only if the cell voltages can be precisely regulated so as to ensure protection of the converter while simultaneously ensuring the synthesis of switched waveforms with the required spectral quality. This project offers the potential to eliminate this barrier to the use of Multicell converter technology. In addition this project emphasises the development and training of people skilled in the design and development of this technology.Read moreRead less
Finite-dimensional Sampled-data Control of Nonlinear Spatially Distributed Parameter Systems. Optical communication networks, smart materials and fluid flows, are all examples of systems whose behaviour can be significantly improved by automatic control. These are identified as some of the key technologies that will shape our future. This project will contribute to the fundamental science and engineering design of such diverse systems. Two postdoctoral fellows and one graduate student will be t ....Finite-dimensional Sampled-data Control of Nonlinear Spatially Distributed Parameter Systems. Optical communication networks, smart materials and fluid flows, are all examples of systems whose behaviour can be significantly improved by automatic control. These are identified as some of the key technologies that will shape our future. This project will contribute to the fundamental science and engineering design of such diverse systems. Two postdoctoral fellows and one graduate student will be trained in this important emerging field.Read moreRead less
Design of Large-Scale Interconnected Dynamical Systems. Our aim is to develop a theory for the design, analysis and operation of large-scale interconnected systems. In recent years there has been an explosive growth in the implementation and use of large-scale systems due to the ready availability of interconnection technology. However, there is no satisfactory systematic theoretical basis for identifying and quantifying potential advantages or pitfalls of large-scale interconnections. Several a ....Design of Large-Scale Interconnected Dynamical Systems. Our aim is to develop a theory for the design, analysis and operation of large-scale interconnected systems. In recent years there has been an explosive growth in the implementation and use of large-scale systems due to the ready availability of interconnection technology. However, there is no satisfactory systematic theoretical basis for identifying and quantifying potential advantages or pitfalls of large-scale interconnections. Several aspects of interconnected systems will be considered. For example, can large-scale systems composed of dynamical sub-systems linked through communication channels be systematically designed? How does overall system behaviour vary with scale and subsystem dynamics? Such questions are largely open and their resolution lies at the heart of this project.Read moreRead less
Model quality evaluation from finite data sets. Models of dynamical systems are used in many areas of science and engineering. There will always be uncertainties associated with a model, and in this project we will develop a tool for assessing this uncertainty. Having a good description of the uncertainty will depending on the application, lead to better designs, more efficient operations, better decision making etc. One particular application area of this research is to quantify the uncertainti ....Model quality evaluation from finite data sets. Models of dynamical systems are used in many areas of science and engineering. There will always be uncertainties associated with a model, and in this project we will develop a tool for assessing this uncertainty. Having a good description of the uncertainty will depending on the application, lead to better designs, more efficient operations, better decision making etc. One particular application area of this research is to quantify the uncertainties in models of irrigation channels. This will allow us to design better systems for regulation of water levels and flows, leading to large water savings and significant environmental benefits.
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New research directions in the area of sampled-data systems. Increased application of digital technology in a wide variety of control engineering applications has led to renewed interest in the study of sampled-data systems. With many applications ranging from nano-technology through to aerospace, robotics, bio-medicine and telecommunications, sampled-data systems form an integral part of many frontier technologies arising in engineering. In exploring and furthering these emerging technologies, ....New research directions in the area of sampled-data systems. Increased application of digital technology in a wide variety of control engineering applications has led to renewed interest in the study of sampled-data systems. With many applications ranging from nano-technology through to aerospace, robotics, bio-medicine and telecommunications, sampled-data systems form an integral part of many frontier technologies arising in engineering. In exploring and furthering these emerging technologies, this proposal aims to provide exciting breakthroughs in the theory of time and event driven sampled-data nonlinear systems. Equipped with these powerful new tools, we will address important analysis and design issues in this area, for example, for Networked Control Systems.Read moreRead less
Analysis and design of control systems with saturation and time-delay. Control engineering is an enabling technology without which most modern engineering systems, such as aircrafts or Internet, can not operate properly. Actuator saturation and time-delays are undesirable phenomena that often arise in control systems leading to poor performance and sometimes instability. For example, both of these phenomena arise in control of modern telecommunication systems, such as Active Queue Management in ....Analysis and design of control systems with saturation and time-delay. Control engineering is an enabling technology without which most modern engineering systems, such as aircrafts or Internet, can not operate properly. Actuator saturation and time-delays are undesirable phenomena that often arise in control systems leading to poor performance and sometimes instability. For example, both of these phenomena arise in control of modern telecommunication systems, such as Active Queue Management in TCP networks. The project aims at tackling these phenomena by using recently developed techniques in antiwindup for saturating actuators and by revisiting some classical methods for Smith predictor design for time-delayed systems.Read moreRead less
Towards an Information Theory for Communication-Limited Control Systems. In a number of emerging applications in communications, manufacturing and defence, various dynamical systems are measured and controlled by transmitting feedback over digital communication channels. In such situations, the often limited data rate available for transmissions can have a significant negative impact on the overall objectives. This proposal aims to develop techniques for analysing and designing such systems, and ....Towards an Information Theory for Communication-Limited Control Systems. In a number of emerging applications in communications, manufacturing and defence, various dynamical systems are measured and controlled by transmitting feedback over digital communication channels. In such situations, the often limited data rate available for transmissions can have a significant negative impact on the overall objectives. This proposal aims to develop techniques for analysing and designing such systems, and to delineate the fundamental limits to their performance. This has the potential to contribute to a greater understanding of the behaviour of many real systems which combine communications and control in feedback loops.Read moreRead less
Development of an endofunctional capsule for targeted delivery of biomarkers in the alimentary tract. The proposed capsule will provide a solution to the problem of accessing the small intestine for targeted delivery of biomarkers and drugs, and contribute to translational medical research to enhance our understanding of the function of the gut. Successful completion of this project will build on defined priority areas of research strength in Australia (frontier technologies, smart information u ....Development of an endofunctional capsule for targeted delivery of biomarkers in the alimentary tract. The proposed capsule will provide a solution to the problem of accessing the small intestine for targeted delivery of biomarkers and drugs, and contribute to translational medical research to enhance our understanding of the function of the gut. Successful completion of this project will build on defined priority areas of research strength in Australia (frontier technologies, smart information use) and assist in the provision of information critical to the design of novel in vivo endofunctional devices. The technologies to be developed in this project will be translatable to the development of other in vivo functional investigation and treatment devices. Read moreRead less