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Mechatronics
Newsletter
The first batch of Mechatronics Students
will be graduating this semester. The graduating students
have opted for both Thesis and Projects. This newsletter
comprises of a brief description of their projects.
Project
Title:
Two
Link Manipulator Arm Positioning Using Neural Network,
Sliding Mode, and Nonlinear Controllers
Brief
Description:
The objective of the proposed project is to control
the position of a two link manipulator arm using different
control techniques such as neural network, sliding mode,
and nonlinear controllers. This project will cover designing
and building of a two link manipulator arm, then
the design and implementation of real time controllers
that well enable the control of the end effecter of
the manipulator arm.
Hardware part of the project will involve designing
and building a light weight two link robotic manipulator
arm and interfacing it to a personal computer where
the control algorithms will be implemented.
Model-based and model-free control schemes will be considered
on this project. First the mathematical model of the
robotic arm will be derived and verified experimentally.
Model-based nonlinear and sliding mode robust tracking
controllers that are selected form literature will be
designed and implemented to control the position of
the two link manipulator utilizing the derived mathematical
model, then real time testing of the tracking and positioning
performance of these controllers will be carried out.
Neural network controller will also be used to control
the robotic arm. Real time links responses will be experimentally
collected and used to train the neural network controller.
This network will then be implemented real time to control
the positioning and tracking of the two link manipulator.
The real time tracking and positioning performance of
the proposed controllers will be compared. Controllers'
algorithms and implementation complexity and required
torque by each controller also will be compared.

A photo of the setup.
Student
:
Muaatasem
Awda
Project
Advisors:
Dr.
Mohammad Jarrah.
Dr.
Yousef Al-Assaf.
____________________________________________________________________
Project
Title:
Study
Intersection Collision Avoidance System Deployment for
a Modern City.
Brief
Description:
The expansion of computer and sensing technologies
into the roadside and vehicular environment and the
corresponding drop in prices coupled with an increase
in accuracy are starting to make the detection of speed,
direction, and position of a vehicle more cost effective.
This makes it possible to use this information to provide
warnings to vehicle operators of possible traffic conditions
that may result in a collision.
The use of video tracking system, millimeter Doppler
radar, Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS),
Geographical Information Systems (GIS), and digital
map capabilities in a coordinated system will enable
the tracking of vehicles traveling through intersections
with an accuracy of one meter or less. The use of environmental
sensors will enable the real-time determination of roadway
surface conditions: dry, wet, or icy. The use of radio
technology can enable data exchange between vehicles
and between vehicles and the roadway infrastructure
to improve the safety of the streets and highways.
An Intersection Collision Avoidance (ICA) system, which
integrates vehicle tracking, roadway surface monitoring,
and communication systems, will be able to utilize the
information attained from its subsystems and determine
whether a vehicle is on the course toward a potential
collision. It is anticipated that the ICA system will
be capable of monitoring vehicular traffic flow through
the intersection, predicting the possibility of signal
violations, delivering warning messages to targeted
devices, and communicating time-critical messages in
an appropriate radio band to suitably equipped vehicles.
The implementation of an ICA system can follow two totally
different strategies, which can be describes as intersection-based
and vehicle-based systems. Under an intersection-based
deployment scenario, the Intersection Subsystem will
be responsible for collecting real-time information
from a variety of subsystems, evaluating potential collision
threats, and then implementing appropriate actions to
avoid potential collisions. Each approaching vehicle
simply reacts to the messages disseminated from the
Intersection Subsystem. On the other hand, vehicles
in a vehicle-based system are responsible for making
their own decision to minimize potential collision threats
based on the prevailing information broadcasting from
the Intersection Subsystem as well as information gathered
from their on-board devices. In the vehicle-based system
operation, the Intersection Subsystem acts as an information
resource for all properly equipped approaching vehicles.

A diagram representing an ICA system.
Student
:
Ahmad Al Zarooni.
Project
Advisor:
Dr.
Mohammad Jarrah.
____________________________________________________________________
Project
Title:
Two
Link Manipulator Arm Positioning Using Model-Free Controllers
Brief
Description:
In this project model-free controllers are proposed
to accomplish the task of positioning a
two links manipulator arm using neural networks, neuro-fuzzy,
and polynomial classifier.
The objective of the proposed project is to compare
between the performances of each of
the above mentioned controller in achieving the required
task. The motivation of this
project is to experience the feasibility of using the
latest technologies and techniques to
handle and control a real life application.
Each and every one of the proposed controllers will
be developed and applied separately
to control the position of a planner two links manipulator
arm which was built by me and
my colleagues last semester. A comparison will be done
on certain control properties of
the different applied control schemes.

The two link manipulator arm.
Student
:
Rabih El Assadi
Project
Advisors:
Dr.
Mohammad Jarrah.
____________________________________________________________________
Thesis
Title:
Model
Identification of Unsteady Aerodynamic Loading of Delta
Wings for High Angle of Attack Using a Polynomial Networks
Brief
Description:
A novel method based on a polynomial networks is proposed
to model force and moment data obtained from forced
oscillation tests of Delta wing at high angles of attack.
Several examples are considered to assist the prediction
capabilities of the proposed model as compared to other
parameter identification techniques. These include dynamic
wind tunnel test data for NASA X-31 and F-16 for large
amplitude forced oscillation data of a 70-deg delta
wing.
Different techniques will be discussed for the modelling
of force and moment coefficients, based on the previous
work, to show the efficiency of the polynomial modelling
technique.

F-16C at 60 degrees angle of attack. Surface cuts on
top view are of vorticity magnitude. Red streamlines
represent lex vortices and yellow streamlines represent
forebody vortices.
Student:
Mohammad
Al-Khedher.
Thesis
Advisors:
Dr. Khaled Assaleh.
Dr. Mohammad Jarrah.
____________________________________________________________________
Thesis
Title:
Automatic
classification in the field of marble.
Brief
Description:
The
main goal of this research is to implement an automatic
system to classify marble tiles. Different image processing
and pattern recognition techniques have been implemented.
The features from images were extracted using different
feature extraction methods. The extracted features were
used for training the Classifier. Two classifiers were
evaluated, feed forward neural network and polynomial
classifiers.
The
main goal of this research is to implement an automatic
system to classify marble tiles.
Marble texture is a demanding and challenging task,
because the texture is often non homogenous. There are
many kinds of marble tiles; we roughly classify tiles
as basic tiles and their subclasses. Basic types have
similar characteristics like color and pattern on them
.Subclass have only slight differences from each other
such as the percentage of color, length and thickness
f the veins. The samples chosen for testing the system
have been Italian marble tiles of type "Carrera
". This basic type of marble coming with white,
pink or silver background, brown, green, red or black
veins.
Different
image processing and pattern recognition techniques
have been studied extensively in the process. The features
from images were extracted using different feature extraction
methods. Statistical methods represented by the most
popular one co-occurrence matrices were compared with
frequency transforms methods. Transform methods based
on frequencies like discrete cosine transform (DCT)
and Wavelets proved their strength in packing the energy
of images more than statistical ones. Hybrid methods
as combination between the above methods were also considered.
The extracted features were used for training the Classifier.
Two classifiers were evaluated, feed forward neural
network and polynomial classifiers. Polynomial classifiers
improved the
recognition rate with the advantage of a decrease of
computation time and memory storage.

Marble Samples.
Student:
Sufian
Al Titi.
Thesis
Advisors:
Dr.
Yousef Al-Assaf.
Dr. Khaled Assaleh.
____________________________________________________________________
Thesis
Title:
Next
Generation 10 Gb/s RZ Optical Transmitters.
Brief
Description:
The objective of this research is to propose a new
chirped RZ transmitter to provide telecom carriers with
a low cost solution for upgrading the existing 2.5 Gb/s
fiber links to 10 Gb/s. Computer simulation results
indicate that transmission up to 2500 km is possible
using the chirped RZ source but not with a chirp free
RZ source nor an NRZ source.
Many next generation optical transmission systems at
10 Gb/s will be utilizing RZ line coding to mitigate
fiber dispersion and nonlinear effects for extending
the reach of fiber links to a few thousand kilometers
without electronic regeneration. This thesis will introduce
a chirped RZ transmitter at 10 Gb/s. A computer simulation
will be used to demonstrate the advantages of this transmitter
compared with the chirp free RZ and NRZ transmitters.
The proposed chirped RZ transmitter provides telecom
carriers with a low cost solution for upgrading the
existing 2.5 Gb/s fiber links to 10 Gb/s without reinserting
Dispersion Compensating Fiber (DCF) modules at all EDFA
(Eribium-Doped Fiber Amplifier) sites in the link but
using only DCF modules at either of the receiver/transmitter
sites.

The new RZ Transmitter.
Student:
Amira
Al Houli.
Thesis
Advisor:
Dr.
Aly Elrefaie.
____________________________________________________________________
Thesis
Title:
Brain
Computer Interface based Prosthesis Control.
Brief
Description:
A Brain Computer Interface System will be designed and
implemented which collects brain EEG signals, determines
the required movement and controls the movement of a
robotic arm in the required direction. The work which
will go into my Mechatronics Engineering thesis will
potentially benefit members of several groups. The BCI
system will provide aid to persons with impaired muscle
or movement control. The system, the method and the
data could be of value to neurophysiologists, military
applications, and could shed light on the complex operations
of the brain. Furthermore, the system could contribute
to the collective effort of scientists and engineers
currently developing BCI systems.
Currently, the most active area of research with respect
to BCI systems is the non-invasive BCI system approach.
Non-invasive BCIs work by obtaining EEG readings from
electrodes placed on the scalp, under it, or on the
brain's surface. Due to safety concerns, the proposed
BCI will use electrodes placed on the scalp. The EEG
signals obtained from these electrodes are the input
to the BCI system.
The non-invasive signal activity that is currently
being researched can be classified as follows:
- EEG Pattern Mapping.
- Slow Cortical Potentials.
- Evoked Potentials
- Visual Evoked Potentials.
- Steady State Visual Evoked Potentials.
- P300 Detection.
Brain EEG signals contain vital information about the
functions being carried out by the brain. The brain
functions are concentrated in specialised areas of the
brain. For example, when a person imagines limb movement,
the EEG signals obtained from the sensorimotor cortex
indicate this thought process.
Furthermore, certain signal patterns can even indicate
the direction of the imagined motion. This is the essence
of the thesis. A pattern classifier will be developed
to identify which limb is being imagined, and the direction
is its imagined movement. The type of signal used will
determine the pattern classification techniques. SSVEP
and EEG pattern mapping techniques will be used to implement
the proposed BCI system.

The Graphical User Interface of the BCI system.
Student:
Hania
Rana.
Thesis
Advisors:
Dr.
Hasan Al-Nashash.
Dr.
Yousef Al-Assaf.
____________________________________________________________________
Thesis
Title:
Improving
GPS accuracy using neuro-fuzzy systems
Brief
Description:
Single GPS receiver is capable of horizontal accuracy
within 10 to 20 meters. Manipulating a low cost GPS
receiver positioning data with artificial intelligence
methods may improve the accuracy up to an acceptable
value acceptable good enough for such applications.
In this research, neuro-fuzzy systems will be considered
to improve the accuracy of GPS receiver. Various GPS
parameters are used to develop these systems. The developed
methods are tested on static and dynamic positioning.
DGPS and RTK GPS systems give accurate positioning
but their use is not justifiable in applications that
do not need their accuracy. On the other hand stand
alone GPS may not give the required accuracy in such
applications.
Several studies and research had been carried out to
improve the quality (accuracy) of a low cost GPS (stand-alone
mode) using fuzzy logic and neural network. These methods
have utilized GPS satellite parameters to improve accuracy.
The two parameters used are the Position Dilution Of
Precision (PDOP) and Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR).
DOP is a dimensionless number that accounts for the
contribution of relative satellite geometry to errors
in position determination. DOP has a multiplicative
effect on the UERE. Generally, the wider the spacing
between the satellites being tracked by a GPS receiver,
the smaller the position error. The most common quantification
of DOP is through the position dilution of precision
(PDOP) parameter. PDOP is the number that, when multiplied
by the root mean square (rms) UERE, gives the rms position
error. Other DOPs include the geometric dilution of
precision (GDOP), horizontal dilution of precision (HDOP),
vertical dilution of precision (VDOP) and time dilution
of precision (TDOP).
The objective of the proposed research is to develop
intelligent systems that can be associated with stand
alone GPS systems to improve their accuracy to the point
acceptable by many engineering applications. The methods
to be developed make use of satellites parameters provided
by the GPS system
In comparison to what has been done in previous research
the proposed research will address the following developments:
1- Develop other structures and intelligent systems
to test their capabilities in improving GPS positioning
accuracy.
2- Include other critical satellites parameters in
the development of such intelligent systems. In addition
to the PDOP and SNR we will utilize the User Equivalent
Range Error (UERE).The UERE error is the equivalent
error in the range between a GPS receiver and a satellite.
UERE errors originate from different sources and thus
are independent of each other. The total UERE is the
square root of the sum of the squares of the individual
errors. A prediction of maximum anticipated total UERE
(minus ionospheric error) is provided in each satellites
navigation message as the user range accuracy (URA).
We believe this parameter is critical indicator of the
error and would improve accuracy if included.
3- Previous research worked on static position accuracy.
This work will consider dynamic applications. Such applications
give rise to many other considerations and challenges
in GPS correction. Total correction on the line of movement
is important and the correction time is limited and
is a factor in the correction speed.
4- In this work the results of the other research for
static positioning will be reproduced and compared to
the results obtained by our developed methods.

The GPS postioning system
Student:
Samer Imad Akoum
Thesis
Advisors:
Dr.
Yousef Al-Assaf.
____________________________________________________________________
Thesis
Title:
Fuzzy Autonomous
Flight controller.
Brief
Description:
Unmanned air vehicles are nowadays seen as an area of
great importance in the aerospace industry. The most
important part in designing an automatic flight control
system is the control algorithm that is used in the
aircraft, like PID, LQR, state feedback, and other control
schemes. The controller has to be able to drive the
nonlinear aerodynamic system with maximum stability
and fast response.
A
comparison between different control methods has been
studied and it is decided to use a nonlinear method
of control to help adapt the high nonlinearity of our
system. The high nonlinearity is due to the coupling
between the nonlinear dynamic aircraft model and the
nonlinear aerodynamics inputs.
Therefore
a digital flight controller using fuzzy logic will be
implemented in Motorola MC68HC12 microcontroller. By
the end of this thesis we will have a complete auto
pilot system for the Piper RC plane that is available
in the lab. There will be several phases to accomplish
the final goal, studying the UAV aerodynamics, simulating
a good Fuzzy Logic Controller, sensor interfacing, integrating
all the previous components. Some of these phases are
in progress. The interface between several sensors and
the microcontroller has already been developed. Most
of the sensors are communicating successfully with the
MCU like pressure sensor, GPS, magnetic sensor, etc.
The
simulation of the linearized system shows that fuzzy
controller have a better performance than the LQR controller.
The fuzzy controller reduces the transient time and
it would decrease the control effort. This shows that
a nonlinear controller like FLC can sometimes perform
better than the conventional controllers when it is
applied to a nonlinear system.
The airplane used for the Autonomous Flight Controller
system.
Student:
Mahmoud
Hadi.
Thesis
Advisors:
Dr.
Mohammad Jarrah.
____________________________________________________________________
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