SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “controls prototyping”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 469 records · Page 26

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

NASA NTRS1988

SCARES: A Spacecraft Control Anomaly Resolution Expert System

The current pace of technological development is reflected in the increased mission lifetime of each new generation of satellite. Coupled with this has come a reduced availability of experts to provide technical assistance in satellite operation on a day to day basis. Given such an environment, an expert system is discussed based on architecture for spacecraft anomaly resolution. By capturing deep knowledge about a spacecraft, the system is able to detect and diagnose fault better than previous conventional approaches. A prototype expert system named SCARES (applied only to spacecraft attitude control system) is discussed. Extension of the prototype to handle anomalies in other systems of the satellite is also discussed.

Hamilton, Marc↗

NASA NTRS1988

Ada software productivity prototypes: A case study

A case study of the impact of Ada on a Command and Control project completed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is given. The data for this study was collected as part of a general survey of software costs and productivity at JPL and other NASA sites. The task analyzed is a successful example of the use of rapid prototyping as applied to command and control for the U.S. Air Force and provides the U.S. Air Force Military Airlift Command with the ability to track aircraft, air crews and payloads worldwide. The task consists of a replicated database at several globally distributed sites. The local databases at each site can be updated within seconds after changes are entered at any one site. The system must be able to handle up to 400,000 activities per day. There are currently seven sites, each with a local area network of computers and a variety of user displays; the local area networks are tied together into a single wide area network. Using data obtained for eight modules, totaling approximately 500,000 source lines of code, researchers analyze the differences in productivities between subtasks. Factors considered are percentage of Ada used in coding, years of programmer experience, and the use of Ada tools and modern programming practices. The principle findings are the following. Productivity is very sensitive to programmer experience. The use of Ada software tools and the use of modern programming practices are important; without such use Ada is just a large complex language which can cause productivity to decrease. The impact of Ada on development effort phases is consistent with earlier reports at the project level but not at the module level.

Hihn, Jairus M.↗

NASA NTRS2006

An Alternative for Emergency Preemption of Traffic Lights

An electronic communication-and-control system has been developed as a prototype of advanced means of automatically modifying the switching of traffic lights to give priority to emergency vehicles. This system could be used alternatively or in addition to other emergency traffic-light-preemption systems, including a variety of systems now in use as well as two proposed systems described in "Systems Would Preempt Traffic Lights for Emergency Vehicles" (NPO-30573), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 28, No. 10 (October 2004), page 36. Unlike those prior systems that depend on detection of sounds and/or lights emitted by emergency vehicles, this system is not subject to severe range limitations. This system can be retrofitted into any pre-existing traffic-light-control system, without need to modify that system other than to make a minimal number of wire connections between the two systems. This system comprises several subsystems, including a transponder and interface circuitry on each emergency vehicle, a monitoring and control unit at each intersection equipped with traffic lights, and a wide-area two-way radio communication network that connects the emergency vehicles and intersection units. Computers in the various intersections and vehicle units run special-purpose software that implements the traffic- light-preemption scheme. The operations of the intersection and vehicle units are synchronized by use of Global Positioning System (GPS) timing signals. The transponder in each vehicle estimates its own position and velocity by use of GPS signals, deductive ("dead") reckoning, data from the onboard diagnostic (OBD) computer of the vehicle, and/or triangulation of beacon signals. When the operator of an emergency vehicle turns on its flashing lights and sirens in response to a request for an emergency response, the transponder unit goes into action, reading the OBD data to determine speed and acceleration, and reading and gathering further navigational data as described above. The position, velocity, and acceleration data are combined with vehicle-identification data in a prescribed format, and the resulting set of data is transmitted to the intersections within communication range of the transponder.

Foster, Conrad↗

NASA NTRS1979

Analysis of a lateral pilot-induced oscillation experienced on the first flight of the YF-16 aircraft

In order to compare and assess potential improvements, two control systems were modeled; the original first flight or prototype aircraft system, and a modification of the prototype system, which essentially reduced the overall gain for the takeoff and landing phase. In general, the overall system gain reduction of the modified flight control system was sufficient to avoid lateral pilot-induced oscillation tendencies. Lowering the system gain reduced the tendency to rate saturate, which resulted in correspondingly higher critical pilot gains for the same control input.

Smith, J. W.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Research issues in implementing remote presence in teleoperator control

The concept of remote presence in telemanipulation is presented. A conceptual design of a prototype teleoperator system incorporating remote presence is described. The design is presented in functional terms, sensor, display, and control subsystem. An intermediate environment, in which the human operator is made to feel present, is explicated. The intermediate environment differs from the task environment due to the quantity and type of information presented to an operator and due to scaling factors protecting the operator from the hazards of the task environment. Potential benefits of remote presence systems, both for manipulation and for the study of human cognition and preception are discussed.

Corker, K.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Beyond the Prototype: The Design Evolution of a Deployed AI System

Our previous experiences with deployed intelligent control agents for NASA advanced life support systems (Schreckenghost et al., 2002) inspired us to develop the Distributed Collaboration and Interaction (DCI) system to help humans and mostly-autonomous software agents work together. We discovered many unaddressed needs for human interaction with control agents that operate continuously over months to years to monitor and perform process control for regenerative life support systems. These systems recover usable water or air from the waste products created by biological systems over time. Through the DCI project, we have addressed the needs for interaction between humans and autonomous control systems. This paper describes the software engineering aspects of our experiences, first, in designing and developing a prototype of the DCI system, and later, in adjusting the implementation to make the leap from initial prototype to a system ready to be applied under varying circumstances to meet different needs. The details in the paper focus primarily on the second stage of development. The DCI system is currently deployed, operating 24/7, to assist humans to interact with an advanced Water Recovery System (WRS). In addition, we have demonstrated an application of DCI to support ground personnel in mission support roles.

Martin, C.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Beyond the Prototype: The Design Evolution of a Deployed AI System

Martin, Cheryl↗

DOE OSTI2023

Comparing simulated demand flexibility against actual performance in commercial office buildings

Commercial building energy benchmarking has been used as a mechanism to evaluate energy use of a single building over time, relative to other similar buildings, or to simulations of a reference building conforming to various energy standards. Lack of empirical demand flexibility data and consistent flexibility metrics has limited the ability to compare demand flexibility performance with estimated demand flexibility in buildings. In this study, we collected demand response performance data for a total of 831 demand response events from 192 sites as a first step to build such a building demand flexibility dataset, and propose a standard core data schema to consolidate field data from different sources. We also performed parametric simulations of a control strategy called “global temperature adjustment” using commercial office prototype building models. We then compared the simulated demand flexibility performance against the actual data for offices with global temperature adjustment strategy implemented. During demand response events with an average outside air temperature of 34 °C (range 23 °C–42 °C), the measured demand decrease intensity of the demand flexibility metrics were 6.1 watts per square meter (W/m 2 ), 10.0 W/m 2 , 11.1 W/m 2 , 7.1 W/m 2 , and 4.7 W/m 2 for small, small–medium, medium, medium–large, and large office buildings, respectively. Compared to the measured data in medium- and large-size buildings, the simulated demand decrease intensity was 0.7 W/m 2 (17%) lower on average. The discrepancy between simulated and measured peak demand intensities fell within one standard deviation of the mean measured data. Here, the comparison results validate the credibility of simulations in capturing real building data for assessing the technical potential of building demand flexibility.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2021

Investigation of pre-cooling as a recommended measure to improve residential buildings’ thermal resilience during heat waves

More intense heat waves are expected to occur more frequently in the twenty-first century. During severe heat waves, cooling capacity shortfall and overheating are likely to occur in residential buildings, and this will adversely affect occupant's thermal comfort and productivity. We propose a strategy of pre-cooling the house during off-peak hours to mitigate overheating during heat waves. Additionally, simulation results of a prototype single-family house show that adopting the rule-based control (RBC) of pre-cooling thermostat setpoint schedule is effective in reducing thermal discomfort, and that the efficacy of pre-cooling depends upon several building characteristics. An optimized control (OC) of the thermostat setpoint schedule was developed based on the simulation of a prototype building. A simplified yet improved RBC (IRBC) pre-cooling schedule was then extracted from the OC schedule for practical implementation at a larger scale. The effects of the RBC schedule and IRBC schedule were evaluated in the King District of Fresno, which contains 814 residential buildings. Results show that both thermostat setpoint schedules can reduce overheating effectively and that IRBC is slightly better than RBC for most buildings. The findings support the California government's recommendation on pre-cooling to mitigate overheating, which can be further improved with an optimized thermostat setpoint schedule broadcast to residents through early alert messages before a heat wave.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

NASA NTRS1992

Manipulator control for rover planetary exploration

An anticipated goal of Mars surface exploration missions will be to survey and sample surface rock formations which appear scientifically interesting. In such a mission, a planetary rover would navigate close to a selected sampling site and the remote operator would use a manipulator mounted on the rover to perform a sampling operation. Techniques for accomplishing the necessary manipulation for the sampling components of such a mission have been developed and are presented. We discuss the implementation of a system for controlling a seven (7) degree of freedom Puma manipulator, equipped with a special rock gripper mounted on a planetary rover prototype, intended for the purpose of performing the sampling operation. Control is achieved by remote teleoperation. This paper discusses the real-time force control and supervisory control aspects of the rover manipulation system. Integration of the Puma manipulator with the existing distributed computer architecture is also discussed. The work described is a contribution toward achieving the coordinated manipulation and mobility necessary for a Mars sample acquisition and return scenario.

Cameron, Jonathan M.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Relaxed controls and the convergence of optimal control algorithms

This paper presents a framework for the study of the convergence properties of optimal control algorithms and illustrates its use by means of two examples. The framework consists of an algorithm prototype with a convergence theorem, together with some results in relaxed controls theory.

Williamson, L. J.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Speech coding at 4800 bps for mobile satellite communications

A speech compression project has recently been completed to develop a speech coding algorithm suitable for operation in a mobile satellite environment aimed at providing telephone quality natural speech at 4.8 kbps. The work has resulted in two alternative techniques which achieve reasonably good communications quality at 4.8 kbps while tolerating vehicle noise and rather severe channel impairments. The algorithms are embodied in a compact self-contained prototype consisting of two AT and T 32-bit floating-point DSP32 digital signal processors (DSP). A Motorola 68HC11 microcomputer chip serves as the board controller and interface handler. On a wirewrapped card, the prototype's circuit footprint amounts to only 200 sq cm, and consumes about 9 watts of power.

Gersho, Allen↗

NASA NTRS1990

Concepts in Distributed Scheduling and Control

To support instrument and experiment operations effectively in the Space Station era, planning, scheduling and control must allow for: interactive, realtime, remote operations; responsive scheduling and rescheduling; support of the full range of distributed science, application and commercial users; interaction and cooperation among distributed users; and efficient use of on-board, communications, and ground-based resources. We suggest conceptual and managerial approaches that address these needs. Specifically, we describe an approach to distributed planning, scheduling and control functions that is based on resources and on a distributed knowledge hierarchy. We describe these functions as components of an integrated management system. We discuss automated scheduling assistants and integration of planning and scheduling functions with realtime operations control. The suggested approach, taken from a users' point-of-view, has resulted in the Science User Resource Planning and Scheduling System (SURPASS). In this paper, we describe the major components of SURPASS and discuss the features of this innovative prototype. Further ideas concerning instrument planning, scheduling, and control may be found in the Space Station Instrument Control System Study.

Hansen, Elaine R.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Development of a Prototype Nickel Optic for the Constellation-X Hard-X-Ray Telescope

The Constellation-X mission, planned for launch in 2011, will feature an array of hard-x ray telescopes with a total collecting area goal of 1500 square centimeters at 40 keV. Various technologies are currently being investigated for the optics of these telescopes including multilayer-coated Eletroformed-Nickel-Replicated (ENR) shells. The attraction of the ENR process is that the resulting full-shell optics are inherently stable and offer the promise of good angular resolution and enhanced instrument sensitivity. The challenge for this process is to meet a relatively tight weight budget with a relatively dense material (rho nickel = 9 grams per cubic centimeters.) To demonstrate the viability of the ENR process we are fabricating a prototype HXT mirror module to be tested against a competing segmented-glass-shell optic. The ENR prototype will consist of 5 shells of diameters from 150 mm to 280 mm and of 426 mm total length. To meet the stringent weight budget for Con-X, the shells will be only 150 micron thick. The innermost of these will be coated with Iridium, while the remainder will be coated with graded-density multilayers. Mandrels for these shells are currently under fabrication (Jan 03), with the first shells scheduled for production in February 03. A tentative date of late Summer has been set for prototype testing. Issues currently being addressed are the control of stresses in the multiplayer coating and ways of mitigating their effects on the figure of the necessarily thin shells. Also, the fabrication, handling and mounting of these shells without inducing permanent figure distortions. A full status report on the prototype optic will be presented along with test results as available.

Basso, S.↗

NASA NTRS1987

A prototype 4800 bps voice terminal for the mobile satellite experiment

The authors report the final stage of a research project for the NASA mobile satellite experiment (MSAT-X). The work has resulted in two alternative coding techniques which have achieved good communications quality at 4.8 kb/s while tolerating vehicle noise, fading, and a fairly high-error-rate, bursty channel. The authors have constructed a circuit board based on three AT&T 32-bit floating-point DSP32 digital signal processors (DSP) and providing both excess processing power and considerable flexibility for handling different variations of the algorithms. A Motorola 68HC11 microcomputer chip serves as the board controller and interface handler. Mounted on a wirewrapped card, the prototype's circuit footprint amounts to only 225 cm2 and consumes about 13 W of power. A description is given of the architecture, signal processing and communication functions, circuitry, and firmware of the prototype. Issues such as synchronization, framing, error control, and modem interface are also addressed.

Chan, Wai-Yip↗

DOE OSTI2026

Advancing the HERO WEC Through Integrated Modeling, Testing, and Field Deployments

The Hydraulic and Electric Reverse Osmosis Wave Energy Converter (HERO WEC) was developed by the National Laboratory of the Rockies as a modular platform for advancing wave-powered desalination technologies. Designed to operate in either a hydraulic or electric configuration, the system enables direct comparison of mechanical-to-water and electrical-to-water conversion pathways using a single hardware architecture. Deployments in 2022 and 2024 at the Jennette's Pier test site in North Carolina demonstrated freshwater production between 60 and 300 gallons per day, including successful operation in wave heights as low as 0.25 m. A structured evaluation approach combining numerical modeling of hydrodynamic and power take-off response, controlled laboratory testing, and in-ocean field deployments has been used to characterize and refine system performance. Specifically, insights from these efforts are now informing the second-generation HERO WEC (V2) to increase robustness and overall survivability. Changes from the original prototype include improved drivetrain components, refined geometry, enhanced control systems, and design. The HERO WEC platform continues to serve as an open-access research asset supporting broader marine energy and desalination development.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

DOE OSTI2021

A Phase-Disposition PWM Enabled Model Predictive Control for a Nine-Level Inner-Interleaved Hybrid Multilevel Converter

This article brings forward a phase-disposition pulse width modulation enabled model predictive control (PDPWM-MPC) for a nine-level inner-interleaved hybrid multilevel converter (9L-IHMC). Firstly, three layers of virtual space vector diagrams (VSVD) are established based on the sign patterns of the original and virtual reference vectors in the abcframe, respectively, to achieve the phase-disposition pulse width modulation (PD-PWM) in a non-independent three-phase way. Then, three adjacent virtual vectors in the third-layer VSVD, together with their optimized duty cycles, are applied to guarantee the optimal current tracking. Finally, through the use of the duty cycle alternation approach, dc-link and floating capacitors voltages are balanced and circulating currents are mitigated as well. The proposed PDPWM-MPC can not only enable the decoupling of the low-and high-frequency stages in the 9L-IHMC, but also reduce both output current ripples and computational burden. In addition, it can achieve a constant equivalent switching frequency and address the disproportion of power losses associated with the PD-PWM. Here, both simulations and experiments on a silicon carbide device-based prototype substantiate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2024

Controlling cantilevered adaptive X-ray mirrors

Modeling the behavior of a prototype cantilevered X-ray adaptive mirror (held from one end) demonstrates its potential for use on high-performance X-ray beamlines. Similar adaptive mirrors are used on X-ray beamlines to compensate optical aberrations, control wavefronts and tune mirror focal distances at will. Controlled by 1D arrays of piezoceramic actuators, these glancing-incidence mirrors can provide nanometre-scale surface shape adjustment capabilities. However, significant engineering challenges remain for mounting them with low distortion and low environmental sensitivity. Finite-element analysis is used to predict the micron-scale full actuation surface shape from each channel and then linear modeling is applied to investigate the mirrors' ability to reach target profiles. Using either uniform or arbitrary spatial weighting, actuator voltages are optimized using a Moore–Penrose matrix inverse, or pseudoinverse, revealing a spatial dependence on the shape fitting with increasing fidelity farther from the mount.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗