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

fYear

2010

fDate

23-25 June 2010

Firstpage

173

Lastpage

178

Abstract

This paper introduces a low-cost LEGO Mindstroms NXT motor system (for short, LEGO motor system) for teaching classical and modern control theories in standard third-year undergraduate courses. The LEGO motor system in conjunction with Matlab, Simulink and several necessary toolboxes can be used to demonstrate: (1) a modelling technique; (2) PID (proportional-integral-differential) control; (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 modelling and control systems theories.

Keywords

control engineering education; control systems; educational courses; three-term control; LEGO mindstorms NXT motor system; Matlab; PID control; Simulink; control systems lab; control systems theory; estimator design; modern control theory; proportional-integral-differential control; state feedback control; Bluetooth; Education; Mathematical model; Sensors; State feedback; Steady-state; Control Systems; LEGO Mindstroms NXT;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Control & Automation (MED), 2010 18th Mediterranean Conference on

Conference_Location

Marrakech

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-8091-3

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/MED.2010.5547663

Filename

5547663