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Current and Future Trends in Control and Automation- Selected Papers from the 30th Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation (MED ’22)

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A special issue of Machines (ISSN 2075-1702). This special issue belongs to the section "Automation and Control Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2022) | Viewed by 20758

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Prof. Dr. Kimon P. Valavanis

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Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA
Interests: Engineering; unmanned aircraft systems (uas); integration into the national airspace system (nas); safety levels; risk analysis; reliability assessment; classification and certification procedures; control
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Maria Prandini

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Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria Politecnico di Milano Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32, 20133 Milano, Italy
Interests: air traffic management; stochastic hybrid systems; distributed and stochastic optimization; randomized algorithms; constrained control; identification and estimation theory; micro-grid energy management; randomized methods for systems and control; Energy Management

Prof. Dr. Andrea Monteriù

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Department of Information Engineering, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
Interests: intelligent household; Internet of Things; interoperability; smart monitoring; smart living; safety; Security; Energy Management; home automation; smart sensors; wireless sensor networks; machine learning; home appliances and devices; digital twin; cyber-physical system; risk assessment; operators’ safety
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Prof. Dr. Alessandro Vittorio Papadopoulos

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School of Innovation, Design and Engineering, Mälardalen University (MDH), Västerås, Sweden
Interests: autonomic computing; real-time systems; Cloud Computing; control theory; Fog Computing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The 30^th Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation (MED ’22) took place from June 28 to July 1, 2022, at the Divani Apollon Palace & Thalasso seaside resort, in Vougliameni, Greece. It was a very successful conference.

For this Special Issue we invite academics, scientists and engineers, researchers, and students from around the world to share their recent research findings and developments and to discuss state-of-the-art topics related to the current trends in combining control and system theory with hardware/software and communication technologies; recent developments in robotics and unmanned systems; autonomous systems; mechatronics; cyber–physical systems; and network-controlled systems, among other topics of interest.

The following points must be considered for paper submission:

Check the percentage of overlap with similar/previous publications. Run iThenticate or any other software tool you have access to. Overlap with previously published work. The MED 2022 paper should not exceed 30%.
Include clear statements of novelty, unique features, and contributions. Acknowledge and reference previously published work (i.e., if the journal submission is the enhanced and complete version of a conference publication for MED 2022) and state differences with previously published work.
Avoid self-citations, as they may negatively impact the IF and may lead to disqualification. This is the new reality of the industry feel it our responsibility to inform you of this prior to the submission of your work.
If similar reports or pre-prints of the submitted paper have been uploaded on ‘some server’, thus resulting in major overlap when running iThenticate, this should be clarified in a cover letter to avoid automatic rejection without review.
State clearly in the Introduction Section what is novel and unique, distinct features of what you propose, similarities and differences with published work, and a comparison.

Suitable topics include but are not limited to the following:

Prognostics and diagnostics;
Robotics;
Autonomous systems;
Aerospace control;
Intelligent control;
Mechatronic systems;
Non-linear systems;
Fault-tolerant control.

Prof. Dr. Kimon P. Valavanis
Prof. Dr. Maria Prandini
Prof. Dr. Andrea Monteriù
Prof. Dr. Alessandro Vittorio Papadopoulos
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Machines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 3060 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Active Fault Diagnosis and Control of a Morphing Multirotor Subject to a Stuck Arm

by Alessandro Baldini, Riccardo Felicetti, Alessandro Freddi and Andrea Monteriù

Machines 2023, 11(5), 511; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines11050511 - 25 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1050

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a fault tolerant control law for a morphing quadrotor, where the considered morphing ability is that of extendable/telescopic arms. This quite recent class of systems is able to provide a good trade-off between payload capabilities, maneuverability, and space occupancy. However, such degrees of freedom require dedicated servomotors, which in turn implies more possible faults. Thus, the problem of diagnosis for the telescopic servo motors subject to a stuck fault is considered. System symmetries are exploited and used in a residual generator design, which triggers an active fault isolation/identification phase. External disturbances are also taken into account and estimated through a nonlinear disturbance observer. A classical double-loop controller closes the loop, providing an overall control system structure that follows the disturbance observer-based control paradigm. The control scheme is validated through realistic numerical simulations, and the closed-loop performances are analyzed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current and Future Trends in Control and Automation- Selected Papers from the 30th Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation (MED ’22))

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15 pages, 868 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reinforcement Learning-Based Dynamic Zone Placement Variable Speed Limit Control for Mixed Traffic Flows Using Speed Transition Matrices for State Estimation

by Filip Vrbanić, Leo Tišljarić, Željko Majstorović and Edouard Ivanjko

Machines 2023, 11(4), 479; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines11040479 - 14 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1320

Abstract

Current transport infrastructure and traffic management systems are overburdened due to the increasing demand for road capacity, which often leads to congestion. Building more infrastructure is not always a practical strategy to increase road capacity. Therefore, services from Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSs) are commonly applied to increase the level of service. The growth of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) brings new opportunities to the traffic management system. One of those approaches is Variable Speed Limit (VSL) control, and in this paper a VSL based on Q-Learning (QL) using CAVs as mobile sensors and actuators in combination with Speed Transition Matrices (STMs) for state estimation is developed and examined. The proposed Dynamic STM-QL-VSL (STM-QL-DVSL) algorithm was evaluated in seven traffic scenarios with CAV penetration rates ranging from

10 %

100 %

. The proposed STM-QL-DVSL algorithm utilizes two sets of actions that include dynamic speed limit zone positions and computed speed limits. The proposed algorithm was compared to no control, rule-based VSL, and two STM-QL-VSL configurations with fixed VSL zones. The developed STM-QL-DVSL outperformed all other control strategies and improved measured macroscopic traffic parameters like Total Time Spent (

T T S

) and Mean Travel Time (

M T T

) by learning the control policy for each simulated scenario. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current and Future Trends in Control and Automation- Selected Papers from the 30th Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation (MED ’22))

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15 pages, 1386 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thrust Vector Controller Comparison for a Finless Rocket

by Laura Sopegno, Patrizia Livreri, Margareta Stefanovic and Kimon P. Valavanis

Machines 2023, 11(3), 394; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines11030394 - 17 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4288

Abstract

The paper focuses on comparing applicability, tuning, and performance of different controllers implemented and tested on a finless rocket during its boost phase. The objective was to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each controller, such that the most appropriate one would then be developed and implemented in real-time in the finless rocket. The compared controllers were Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR), Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG), and Proportional Integral Derivative (PID). To control the attitude of the rocket, emphasis is given to the Thrust Vector Control (TVC) component (sub-system) through the gimballing of the rocket engine. The launcher is commanded through the control input thrust gimbal angle

δ

, while the output parameter is expressed in terms of the pitch angle

θ

. After deriving a linearized state–space model, rocket stability is addressed before controller implementation and testing. The comparative study showed that both LQR and LQG track pitch angle changes rapidly, thus providing efficient closed-loop dynamic tracking. Tuning of the LQR controller, through the Q and R weighting matrices, illustrates how variations directly affect performance of the closed-loop system by varying the values of the feedback gain (K). The LQG controller provides a more realistic profile because, in general, not all variables are measurable and available for feedback. However, disturbances affecting the system are better handled and reduced with the PID controller, thus overcoming steady-state errors due to aerodynamic and model uncertainty. Overall controller performance is evaluated in terms of overshoot, settling and rise time, and steady-state error. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current and Future Trends in Control and Automation- Selected Papers from the 30th Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation (MED ’22))

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27 pages, 8769 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Camera-Based Local and Global Target Detection, Tracking, and Localization Techniques for UAVs

by Ioannis Daramouskas, Dimitrios Meimetis, Niki Patrinopoulou, Vaios Lappas, Vassilios Kostopoulos and Vaggelis Kapoulas

Machines 2023, 11(2), 315; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines11020315 - 20 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2734

Abstract

Multiple-object detection, localization, and tracking are desirable in many areas and applications, as the field of deep learning has developed and has drawn the attention of academics in computer vision, having a plethora of networks now achieving excellent accuracy in detecting multiple objects in an image. Tracking and localizing objects still remain difficult processes which require significant effort. This work describes an optical camera-based target detection, tracking, and localization solution for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Based on the well-known network YOLOv4, a custom object detection model was developed and its performance was compared to YOLOv4-Tiny, YOLOv4-608, and YOLOv7-Tiny. The target tracking algorithm we use is based on Deep SORT, providing cutting-edge tracking. The proposed localization approach can accurately determine the position of ground targets identified by the custom object detection model. Moreover, an implementation of a global tracker using localization information from up to four UAV cameras at a time. Finally, a guiding approach is described, which is responsible for providing real-time movement commands for the UAV to follow and cover a designated target. The complete system was evaluated in Gazebo with up to four UAVs utilizing Software-In-The-Loop (SITL) simulation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current and Future Trends in Control and Automation- Selected Papers from the 30th Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation (MED ’22))

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17 pages, 346 KiB

Open AccessArticle

State Estimation of Positive Switched Interval Systems with Metzler–Takagi–Sugeno Fuzzy Models

by Dušan Krokavec and Anna Filasová

Machines 2023, 11(2), 290; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines11020290 - 15 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1017

Abstract

This paper addresses the problem of estimating the state of a class of interval and positive nonlinear switched systems. The considered system class is represented by Metzler–Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy switched models with positive Lipschitz nonlinear functions and bounded disturbance. The fuzzy switching interval observers need real-time measurable values of premise variables. The introduced design method in this paper allows us to compute the lower and upper bounds of the system state under assumption that unknown disturbances are norm-bounded, computing the observer gain to achieve such robustness. Formulations and proofs of the design condition for switching fuzzy positive interval observers document that the diagonal stabilisation principle is implementable by a common set of LMIs in the construction of strictly positive interval observer gains, guaranteeing Metzler and Hurwitz observer system matrices and positiveness of the lower and upper bounds of the estimated system states. Design conditions for the interval-switching observer structures are formulated via linear matrix inequalities to also ensure H

_{\infty}

-norm disturbance attenuation and corresponding Lipschitz parameter upper bounds. The proposed algorithm structures are informal and easily creatable as is illustrated by a numerical example. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current and Future Trends in Control and Automation- Selected Papers from the 30th Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation (MED ’22))

18 pages, 1078 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Intelligent Road-Adaptive Semi-Active Suspension and Integrated Cruise Control

by Hakan Basargan, András Mihály, Péter Gáspár and Olivier Sename

Machines 2023, 11(2), 204; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines11020204 - 01 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1904

Abstract

The availability of road and vehicle data enables the control of road vehicles to adapt for different road irregularities. Vision-based or stored road data inform the vehicle regarding the road ahead and surface conditions. Due to these abilities, the vehicle can be controlled efficiently to deal with different road irregularities in order to improve driving comfort and stability performances. The present paper proposes an integration method for an intelligent, road-adaptive, semi-active suspension control and cruise control system. The road-adaptive, semi-active suspension controller is designed through the linear parameter-varying (LPV) method, and road adaptation is performed with a road adaptivity algorithm that considers road irregularities and vehicle velocity. The road adaptivity algorithm calculates a dedicated scheduling variable that modifies the operating mode of the LPV controller. This modification of operation mode provides a trade-off between driving comfort and vehicle stability performances. Regarding the cruise control, the velocity design of the vehicle is based on the ISO 2631-1 standard, the created database, and the look-ahead road information. For each road irregularity, the velocity of the vehicle is designed according to previous measurements and the table of ISO 2631-1 standard. The comfort level must be selected in order to calculate dedicated velocity for road irregularity. The designed velocity is tracked by the velocity-tracking controller evaluated with the LPV control framework. The designed controllers are integrated, and the operation of the integrated method is validated in a TruckSim simulation environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current and Future Trends in Control and Automation- Selected Papers from the 30th Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation (MED ’22))

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17 pages, 1506 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Hybrid Spiking Neural Network Reinforcement Learning Agent for Energy-Efficient Object Manipulation

by Katerina Maria Oikonomou, Ioannis Kansizoglou and Antonios Gasteratos

Machines 2023, 11(2), 162; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines11020162 - 24 Jan 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2319

Abstract

Due to the wide spread of robotics technologies in everyday activities, from industrial automation to domestic assisted living applications, cutting-edge techniques such as deep reinforcement learning are intensively investigated with the aim to advance the technological robotics front. The mandatory limitation of power consumption remains an open challenge in contemporary robotics, especially in real-case applications. Spiking neural networks (SNN) constitute an ideal compromise as a strong computational tool with low-power capacities. This paper introduces a spiking neural network actor for a baseline robotic manipulation task using a dual-finger gripper. To achieve that, we used a hybrid deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG) algorithm designed with a spiking actor and a deep critic network to train the robotic agent. Thus, the agent learns to obtain the optimal policies for the three main tasks of the robotic manipulation approach: target-object reach, grasp, and transfer. The proposed method has one of the main advantages that an SNN possesses, namely, its neuromorphic hardware implementation capacity that results in energy-efficient implementations. The latter accomplishment is highly demonstrated in the evaluation results of the SNN actor since the deep critic network was exploited only during training. Aiming to further display the capabilities of the introduced approach, we compare our model with the well-established DDPG algorithm. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current and Future Trends in Control and Automation- Selected Papers from the 30th Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation (MED ’22))

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32 pages, 4482 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Common Noninteracting Control with Simultaneous Common Partial Zeroing with Application to a Tracked UGV

by Fotis N. Koumboulis and Nikolaos D. Kouvakas

Machines 2023, 11(1), 113; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines11010113 - 14 Jan 2023

Viewed by 1150

Abstract

In several MIMO system applications, the deviations of some output performance variables from their nominal values are required to be controlled independently, while the other performance variables are required to remain at their nominal value. This problem, named noninteracting control with simultaneous partial output zeroing, is important in the case of the common design of multi-model systems. To this end, the problem of a common noninteracting control with simultaneous common partial output zeroing is formulated. The present paper aims to develop a solution to the problem of multi-model normal linear time-invariant systems via regular and static measurement output feedback. The present approach follows the method developed for the solution of the common I/O decoupling problem. The main results of the paper are the introduction and the formulation of the problem at hand, the establishment of the necessary and sufficient conditions for its solvability, and the derivation of the respective general solution of the controller matrices. For the resulting closed-loop system, the additional design requirement of approximate command following a simultaneous I/O stabilizability is studied using a composite norm 2 type cost function and a metaheuristic algorithm for the derivation of the free parameters of the controller. The present results are illustrated through a numerical example of a nonlinear process with two operating points. Moreover, all the above results are successfully applied to the two-model description of a robot-tracked UGV, using a common controller feeding back measurements of the motor currents and the orientation of the vehicle. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current and Future Trends in Control and Automation- Selected Papers from the 30th Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation (MED ’22))

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18 pages, 40244 KiB

Open AccessArticle

GNSS-Free End-of-Row Detection and Headland Maneuvering for Orchard Navigation Using a Depth Camera

by Chen Peng, Zhenghao Fei and Stavros G. Vougioukas

Machines 2023, 11(1), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines11010084 - 09 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1711

Abstract

GPS-based navigation in orchards can be unstable because trees may block the GPS signal or introduce multipath errors. Most research on robot navigation without GPS has focused on guidance inside orchard rows; end-of-row detection has not received enough attention. Additionally, navigation between rows relies on reference maps or artificial landmarks. In this work, a novel row-end detection method is presented, which detects drastic changes in the statistical distribution of the sensed point cloud as the robot gets closer to the row’s end. A row-entry method was also implemented that builds a local map that is used by a reactive path tracker. The system was evaluated in a 24-row block in a vineyard. Once the robot was closer than 7 m from the end of a row, the algorithm detected it with a 100% success rate and calculated the distance from it with a mean error of 0.54 m. The system was also evaluated in vineyard configurations with parallel and slanted vine rows in consecutive blocks. The system worked well in all configurations, except where the next block had rows aligned to the rows of the current block and the headland width was closer than 5 m. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current and Future Trends in Control and Automation- Selected Papers from the 30th Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation (MED ’22))

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16 pages, 2507 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Model Predictive Control Method for Autonomous Vehicles in Roundabouts

by Zsófia Farkas, András Mihály and Péter Gáspár

Machines 2023, 11(1), 75; https://doi.org/10.3390/machines11010075 - 06 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2007

Abstract

This paper introduces a procedure for controlling autonomous vehicles entering roundabouts. The aim of the centralized controller is to define the velocity profile of each autonomous vehicle by which collisions can be avoided and traveling times can be minimized. To achieve these performances, a model predictive control is introduced based on the solution of an analytical calculation of traveling times spent in the roundabout and designing the autonomous vehicles’ velocity profiles in order to avoid conflict situations while ensuring a time-optimal solution. By the application of the proposed procedure, safety of autonomous vehicles can be enhanced and the possibility of a forming congestion can be minimized. The operation of the proposed method is demonstrated by a few simulation examples in the CarSim simulation environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current and Future Trends in Control and Automation- Selected Papers from the 30th Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation (MED ’22))

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