PID Control
Understanding PID Control This section focuses on building an intuitive understanding of PID control - what each term does, how it affects system behavior, and how to tune the gains…
Filtering Techniques
Why Filtering is Essential Filtering is a fundamental requirement in real-world control systems because sensors do not operate under ideal conditions. They introduce noise, measurement jitter, dropouts, and occasional spikes.…
Distance Sensing
The Role of Position Sensing Accurate position measurement is the foundation of the Ball and Beam control system. The motor adjusts the beam angle, but the system can only stabilize…
Motors and Motor Controllers
Motor Fundamentals The Ball and Beam system relies on a motor to adjust the angle of the beam in response to the ball's position. Understanding how motors work and how…
Circuit Creation and Breadboarding
Understanding Circuit Layout Before the Ball and Beam system can be controlled in software, the hardware must be assembled correctly and safely. The goal is not simply to "wire it…
Basic Embedded Systems
Real-Time Embedded Control The Ball and Beam system operates as a real-time embedded control system in which a microcontroller continuously reads the position of the ball, computes a corrective action, and commands…
Complete Project Overview
Introduction In this program you will model and create a robust ball and beam controller by creating an engineering model, designing control loop architecture, and deploying code on a real…
