MODULAR INVERTED PENDULUM

Senior Capstone Project

The Problem: The MIE lab currently uses commercial inverted pendulums with fixed controllers that limit analysis of PID tuning, sensing, actuation, and data acquisition. This project aims to bridge this gap between theory and experimental learning with unstable systems.

Achieved: Team 1507 has developed a working inverted pendulum with swing-up and stabilization that is tunable and records data via a live MATLAB GUI. The system is compatible with two types of encoders and two motor configurations (DC and stepper).

Project Goals:

Interchangeable Hardware - Modular components that allow students to swap motors and encoders without permanent modifications

Implement and Validate Control Strategies - Demonstrate PID control and energy-based swing-up control on both encoder configurations

Documentation – Simulink detail, bill of materials, wiring diagrams, and user manual

Demonstrate System Performance - Meet sponsor criteria including stability, disturbance rejection, intuitive GUI and hardware, modularity, and reliability

Demonstration Video

Electrical Diagram - Motors

Electrical Diagram - Encoders

Simulink

*Block-based programming represent system architecture and signal flow better than MATLAB scripts.

Ended up placing 3rd in the Senior Design Presentation

Final Report: Link

Swing-Up Controller: Energy-based swing-up controller derived from the Lagrangian EOM's.

Stabilization Controller: Cascaded PID control with outer-loop cart positioning and inner-loop angle regulation.

Arduino Implementation: Code flashes once on Arduino, and can then be live tuned / edited without reflashing