Project title: Model of
Controller for the Inverted Pendulum on a Cart Problem
Mayank Mittal
Abstract
An inverted pendulum is a classic nonlinear problem
in control theory. A normal pendulum is stable when hanging downwards, however
a vertical inverted pendulum is inherently unstable. It is widely used as a
benchmark to test various control algorithms. As shown in Figure 1, the
inverted pendulum consists of a thin rod attached at its bottom to a moving
cart. The cart can move in the x
direction (x-y plane), forwards and
backwards, and the pendulum is free to rotate in the same plane. A slight
deviation, from the upright position, can cause the pendulum to fall.
Therefore, an additional force is required to actively balance the inverted pendulum
in order to remain upright. The aim of this project is to develop a simulation model
for the controller that applies the required control force onto the cart to
balance the pendulum in its inverted position. Matlab/Simulink
is used for this work to model the control algorithm.