Development of high performance control methods in robotics and aerospace systems

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My NSERC-supported research program comprises expertise in the areas of control systems, robotics and aircraft systems. This proposal involves projects centred on two key themes. Theme one is development of modular and reconfigurable robots with enhanced capabilities for carrying heavy payload and performing delicate operations. Innovative control system and balancing techniques will be developed to achieve the research objectives. Modular and reconfigurable robots are made up of modules that can be rearranged to yield various configurations and possess desirable attributes such as adaptability, compactness, and versatility. They have substantial application potentials, especially in the space systems sector, but their relatively low payload to body weight ratio limits the realization of those potentials, and the proposed research aims to provide a solution to this problem. Theme two is the development of high performance aircraft engine bleed air control system. In aircraft pneumatic systems, high-pressure and high-temperature air is bled from engines and then used for various tasks on the aircraft, such as cabin pressurization and air conditioning for passengers and airborne avionics equipment. In order to reduce operation costs associated with engine overhaul and fuel consumption, it is desirable to control and equalize engine bleed from multiple engines, and to cool hot engine bleed air down to a regulated temperature with minimum usage of ram air. The system is safety critical and requires high reliability. The proposed research aims to develop fault tolerant control methods for engine bleed flow sharing control system and fuel-efficient control methods for simultaneous bleed mass flow rate and temperature control. The proposed research program has the potential to provide unique ways of design and control of robots and aircraft engine bleed air systems, leading to high quality research contributions and providing solutions to problems directly faced by Canadian industry. Furthermore, it would contribute significantly to the training of highly qualified personnel in the areas of robotics, aircraft systems, and control systems development.