• We are surrounded by automated control systems, like televisions and appliances; but most of us realize their importance when they stop working. For this reason, Dr Karina Barbosa, professor at the Department of Electrical Engineering of Universidad de Santiago will study how to design new control techniques that allow systems to be stable, capable of controlling themselves and able to effectively respond to everything that can affect their functioning.

Currently, we live in a world full of automated control systems: televisions, washing machines, cell phones and even the most modern appliances. All these devices require some type of controller to function. We can find a simple control system even at the bathroom: the toilet flushing system. However, people usually do not realize that they exist until they stop working.

Dr Karina Barbosa, professor at the Department of Electrical Engineering of Universidad de Santiago will study how to design new control techniques to tune these devices and improve their performance.

The study will last three years and it will approach “new control techniques for dynamic systems with static restraints. Its purpose is to develop new methods to tune controllers or new controller structures to reduce costs and improve the system’s performance in the context of potential uncertainties and external disturbances,” Dr Barbosa says.

Dynamic systems with static constraints are naturally found in different processes. In robotics, for example, it is possible to model the interaction between two or more elements. To make system models, professor Barbosa uses mathematical equations to represent the object under study.

“When two robots are required to work in a synchronized way, both of them should follow a pattern, because the action of “A” is followed by “B”. In this way, there is an interconnection between them that can be mathematically represented by an algebraic equation, i.e., statics,” she explains.

The study

In many cases, when designing controllers, the static aspect is disregarded and only the dynamic features of the system are considered, what can be a problem when systems are subject to noises or disturbances. For this reason, Dr Barbosa will work on the system in its original form, including the two aspects, in order to obtain better results in contexts of external disturbances and uncertainty.

For example, in the case of a plane, external disturbances could be related to wind. In turn, uncertainty is embedded in the model, as any internal component (weight, for example) could vary without having its exact value.

In her study, Dr Barbosa seeks to design new control techniques that allow the system to be stable and, besides, to control itself and to effectively respond to everything that can affect its functioning.

The first part of the Regular Fondecyt Project (1151199) “Robust Stability and Control of Descriptor Systems with Time Varying Uncertainties” develops the control systems theory, while the last part will implement the application of theses techniques in power systems.

The power system mentioned above refers to a power generation and distribution system, so, she will have the collaboration of Dr Humberto Verdejo Fredes, a specialist in this field. Two Brazilian researchers will contribute to the theoretical development of the study.

Reluctance to innovating

With regards to innovation and these power systems, Dr Barbosa says: “We could have very good results with power systems; however, we do not know if the application of the techniques could be fast, as companies find it difficult to innovate and they are not open to changes.”

The long term goal of this study is to generate methodologies that allow improving the control systems. The researcher also expects to publish the results in renowned journals of the field and present them in conferences. Besides, this project seeks to strengthen the control theory in Universidad de Santiago by means of human resource training activities and the promotion of collaborative work with national and foreign researchers.

Translated by Marcela Contreras