Wind offers an immense, never ending source of energy that can be successfully harnessed to power all of the things that currently draw energy from non-renewable resources. The wind doesn’t always blow, though. Researchers from North China Electric Power University and North China University of Science and Technology recently developed a model to help predict […]
The Power of Wind Energy and How to Use It
Wind offers an immense, never-ending source of energy that can be successfully harnessed to power all of the things that currently draw energy from non-renewable resources. The wind doesn’t always blow, though. Researchers from North China Electric Power University and North China University of Science and Technology recently developed a model to help predict wind […]
Motors Matter: From DVD Players to Robotic Surgeons
The same mechanical principles underlie whether the DVD player skips and whether the most advanced surgical robot will rotate its scalpel arm to the wrong organ. Both depend on the stable performance of motors, and there’s some room for improvement. A team of researchers from the Polytechnic University of Bari, in Italy, are working to […]
Fractional Calculus Helps Control Systems Hit Their Mark
If you’ve ever searched for ways to curb your car’s gas-guzzling appetite, you’ve probably heard that running on cruise control can help reduce your trips to the pump. How? Cars, it turns out, are much better than people at following what control systems experts call a setpoint–in this case, a set speed across different terrain. […]
Fractional Disturbance Observers Could Help Machines Stay On Track
Roads are paved with obstacles than can interfere with our driving. They can be as easy to avoid or adjust to as far-away debris or as hard to anticipate as strong gusts of wind. As self-driving cars and other autonomous vehicles become a reality, how can researchers make sure these systems remain in control under […]
Web Of Power: How To Manage The Energy Internet
A fallen tree, a lightning strike — whatever the reason, it doesn’t take much to disrupt the electrical grid. An outage could last just a few minutes, but restoring electricity to millions of people typically takes hours, days, or even weeks. The outdated system, developed a century ago, is long due for an overhaul. Enter […]
Control System Serpent: Scientists Propose New Model For Automation
In 360 BC, Plato wrote, “Whatever comes into existence, always comes as a whole.” In 2016, scientists are using the same philosophy to develop a new automation model for robotic systems. “No phenomenon exists entirely alone. Each is a part of other phenomena,” wrote Hua Chen, an associate professor at Hohai University, Chanzhou Campus, with […]