Control Systems Lab Using a LEGO Mindstorms NXT Motor System

Author

Kim, Yoonsoo

Author_Institution

Dept. of Mech. & Mechatron. Eng., Univ. of Stellenbosch, Matieland, South Africa

Volume

54

Issue

3

fYear

2011

Firstpage

452

Lastpage

461

Abstract

This paper introduces a low-cost LEGO Mindstorms NXT motor system for teaching classical and modern control theories in standard third-year undergraduate courses. The LEGO motor system can be used in conjunction with MATLAB, Simulink, and several necessary toolboxes to demonstrate: 1) a modeling technique; 2) proportional-integral-differential (PID) control; and 3) state feedback control and estimator design. This paper describes the use of these demonstrations during three lab sessions and illustrates their usefulness for helping students to understand the modeling and control systems theories.

Keywords

control engineering education; control system synthesis; educational courses; state feedback; three-term control; LEGO Mindstorms NXT motor system; control systems lab; control theories; estimator design; modeling technique; proportional-integral-differential control; state feedback control; toolboxes; undergraduate courses; Control systems; DC motors; MATLAB; Mathematical model; Real time systems; Sensors; Control engineering education; LEGO Mindstorms NXT; MATLAB; modeling; motor control;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Education, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9359

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TE.2010.2076284

Filename

5585842