Carbon monoxide (CO) is a prevalent and widely distributed air pollutant. Its detection and contr... more Carbon monoxide (CO) is a prevalent and widely distributed air pollutant. Its detection and control in residential and industrial environments are essential in order to avoid potentially severe health consequences in people. The aim of this study was to conduct an air quality assessment by measuring CO concentrations using the MQ-7 Semiconductor Sensor. The MQ-7 sensor is a commonly accessible and cost-effective sensor with specific heating needs. The objectives of the study are to provide a method for implementing heater cycle requirements, equipment-less calibration, and the derivation of a formula for measuring CO concentrations in parts per million (ppm). A procedure for calibrating gas sensors is discussed, which involves measuring the sensing resistance and calculating the resistance ratio. The resistance ratio is then used to calculate the target gas concentration in ppm using a formula derived with the aid of Microsoft Excel, such that it represents the original CO character...
More than one billion people face disabilities worldwide, according to the World Health Organizat... more More than one billion people face disabilities worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In Sri Lanka, there are thousands of people suffering from a variety of disabilities, especially hand disabilities, due to the civil war in the country. The Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka reports that by 2025, the number of people with disabilities in Sri Lanka will grow by 24.2%. In the field of robotics, new technologies for handicapped people are now being built to make their lives simple and effective. The aim of this research is to develop a 3-finger anatomical robot hand model for handicapped people and control (flexion and extension) the robot hand using motor imagery. Eight EEG electrodes were used to extract EEG signals from the primary motor cortex. Data collection and testing were performed for a period of 42 s timespan. According to the test results, eight EEG electrodes were sufficient to acquire the motor imagery for flexion and extension of finger movements. Th...
Asian Association of Open Universities Journal, 2016
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce an integrated laboratory experiment setup (ILES... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce an integrated laboratory experiment setup (ILES) to overcome problems encountered in open distance learning (ODL) especially when offering engineering degree programmes. Design/methodology/approach Engineering laboratory experiments can be classified as experiments which are performed with the intention to inculcate theory, and second, to provide hands-on experience. The ILES integrates both types of experiments with face-to-face laboratory (FFL), online remote laboratory (ORL), and multimedia demonstrations, and it helps to reduce traditional FFL duration by 50 per cent. The first phase of the ILES provides an opportunity to refer multimedia demonstrations of the experiments. Thereafter, students attend the first FFL session, which covers about 25 per cent of the experiments. In the next step, 50 per cent of the experiments are offered using the ORL, via the internet while interacting with real equipment and making actual observatio...
This paper presents a systematic approach to designing a dynamic metaheuristic fuzzy logic contro... more This paper presents a systematic approach to designing a dynamic metaheuristic fuzzy logic controller (FLC) to control a piece of non-linear plant. The developed controller is a multiple-input–multiple-output (MIMO) system. However, with the proposed control mechanism is possible to adapt it to single-input–single-output (SISO) systems as well. During real-time operation, the dynamic behavior of the proposed fuzzy controller is influenced by a metaheuristic particle swarm optimization (PSO) mechanism. Nevertheless, to analyze the performance of the developed dynamic metaheuristic FLC as a piece of non-linear plant, a 1 kW four-wheel independent-drive electric rover is controlled under different road constraints. The test results show that the proposed dynamic metaheuristic FLC maintains the wheel slip ratio of all four wheels to less than 0.35 and a top recorded translational speed of 90 km/h is maintained for a fixed orientation.
7th International Conference on Information and Automation for Sustainability, 2014
Designing and developing AI controllers on separately dedicated chips have many advantages. This ... more Designing and developing AI controllers on separately dedicated chips have many advantages. This paper reviews the development of a real-time fuzzy logic controller for speed control of a dc motor using Arduino Due board. The proposed fuzzy logic controller is based on Mamdani approach and has been tested on the aforementioned high performance microcontroller board and using MATLAB. During the real-time operation the dc motor behavior and the fuzzy controller's response were plotted and the data were stored in MATLAB without interrupting the fuzzy logic controller. Based on these observed information, the system settling time and the rise time reduction were calculated for each input wave patent trajectories while increasing the wave frequency. It was noted that the system overshoot is negligible. Utilizing the aforementioned parameters the Arduino Due board performance was analyzed with the fuzzy logic speed control approaches of dc motors made by past researchers as mentioned above. The system response shows a satisfactory performance for this particular dc motor application when the input signal (desired output signal) frequency is less than 2 Hz, but further research is needed when identifying the optimum performance of the Arduino Due board for different fuzzy logic algorithms while increasing the desired input signal frequency.
In this paper, a dynamic optimization self-adaptive controller for a four-wheel independent drive... more In this paper, a dynamic optimization self-adaptive controller for a four-wheel independent drive electric rover has been investigated to enhance the dynamic stability. The proposed self-adaptive AI controller is based on dynamic Fuzzy Logic (FL) control mechanism. The dynamic self-adaptive properties have been integrated into the proposed FL controller through a dynamically tuned Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) mechanism. Nevertheless, the dynamic FL controller and the dynamic PSO mechanism has been synchronized together for every sampling instance k to obtain the optimum performance of the electric rover. In this electric rover, all the four wheels have a fixed orientation and each wheel powered by a 250-Watt Brushless Direct Current (BLDC) motor through separate gear ratio mechanisms to obtain the desired torque and angular velocity. Therefore, the steering mechanism was achieved in this rover through the proposed AI controller, which was based on the differential speed mechani...
Asian Association of Open Universities Journal, 2015
At present, people have a tendency to carry out higher education in a distance mode due to their ... more At present, people have a tendency to carry out higher education in a distance mode due to their busy lifestyles. However, open and distance learning (ODL) educational organizations encounter difficulties when delivering laboratory experiments. This paper presents the development of an online laboratory platform as a solution. It can be used to deliver laboratory experiments, using electronic components and instruments such as a signal generator and oscilloscope. Students are able to perform experimental tasks remotely utilizing real equipment and components. The system users can view laboratory environments via a camera which provides a sense of reality.The platform provides facilities to customize and rebuild the laboratory experiments according to the requirements of the organization. It can also be utilized as a useful educational tool to acquire pre-experience before entering the real laboratory. Thestatistical analysis shows no significant difference between the face-to-face l...
Compared to traditional motor controlling techniques, modern AI controllers have many advantages.... more Compared to traditional motor controlling techniques, modern AI controllers have many advantages. However, most of the developed FOC mechanisms are based on classical controlling techniques such as PID controllers, hybrid AI-classical controllers and model reference controllers. All these traditional controllers are based on sophisticated mathematical models (system transfer functions). These traditional controllers are unable to tune its system parameters by itself to adapt according to the non-linear variations of actual speed and torque of the motor. This paper discussed, a novel scheme of metaheuristic adaptive fuzzy logic-particle swarm optimization control mechanism to optimize the speed regulation of electric current space vector-controlled BLDC motor. Therefore, dynamic TSK-PSO-FLC was investigated. The dynamic behaviour of the proposed controller enables it to optimize its tuning parameters by itself under non-linear load and speed varying conditions to track the desired angular speed and the torque trajectories. This is a part of the designed and developed dynamic AI controller, for stability and traction control of an all-wheel-drive electric rover. Therefore, initially, the performance of the proposed controller has been tested on a simulation environment (MATLAB Simulink model) for one wheel. Finally, the identified dynamic parameters through the Simulink model (the sensored BLDC motor and the proposed AI controller) were utilized to test the performance of the developed TSK-PSO-FLC, while it is tracking a given desired speed trajectory of the BLDC motor (sensored, 3-ph and 250 W) in real-time operation. Simulated test results are analyzed and compared with the observed test results through the developed hardware model in addition to the newly published research work. The angular speed of 2500 rpm within a 500 N m torque have been taken into consideration as a generalized condition. It was noticed that the percentage overshoot (Mp%), settling time (Ts) and the steady-state error (Ess) is 0.501, 731.455 μs and 1.22 respectively. Therefore, compared to classical control based FOC mechanisms, the analyzed test results of the proposed control mechanism is showing that it has been optimized and enhanced the speed regulation performance of the BLDC motor significantly while increasing the frequency of the desired input trajectory up to 2 kHz.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a prevalent and widely distributed air pollutant. Its detection and contr... more Carbon monoxide (CO) is a prevalent and widely distributed air pollutant. Its detection and control in residential and industrial environments are essential in order to avoid potentially severe health consequences in people. The aim of this study was to conduct an air quality assessment by measuring CO concentrations using the MQ-7 Semiconductor Sensor. The MQ-7 sensor is a commonly accessible and cost-effective sensor with specific heating needs. The objectives of the study are to provide a method for implementing heater cycle requirements, equipment-less calibration, and the derivation of a formula for measuring CO concentrations in parts per million (ppm). A procedure for calibrating gas sensors is discussed, which involves measuring the sensing resistance and calculating the resistance ratio. The resistance ratio is then used to calculate the target gas concentration in ppm using a formula derived with the aid of Microsoft Excel, such that it represents the original CO character...
More than one billion people face disabilities worldwide, according to the World Health Organizat... more More than one billion people face disabilities worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In Sri Lanka, there are thousands of people suffering from a variety of disabilities, especially hand disabilities, due to the civil war in the country. The Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka reports that by 2025, the number of people with disabilities in Sri Lanka will grow by 24.2%. In the field of robotics, new technologies for handicapped people are now being built to make their lives simple and effective. The aim of this research is to develop a 3-finger anatomical robot hand model for handicapped people and control (flexion and extension) the robot hand using motor imagery. Eight EEG electrodes were used to extract EEG signals from the primary motor cortex. Data collection and testing were performed for a period of 42 s timespan. According to the test results, eight EEG electrodes were sufficient to acquire the motor imagery for flexion and extension of finger movements. Th...
Asian Association of Open Universities Journal, 2016
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce an integrated laboratory experiment setup (ILES... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce an integrated laboratory experiment setup (ILES) to overcome problems encountered in open distance learning (ODL) especially when offering engineering degree programmes. Design/methodology/approach Engineering laboratory experiments can be classified as experiments which are performed with the intention to inculcate theory, and second, to provide hands-on experience. The ILES integrates both types of experiments with face-to-face laboratory (FFL), online remote laboratory (ORL), and multimedia demonstrations, and it helps to reduce traditional FFL duration by 50 per cent. The first phase of the ILES provides an opportunity to refer multimedia demonstrations of the experiments. Thereafter, students attend the first FFL session, which covers about 25 per cent of the experiments. In the next step, 50 per cent of the experiments are offered using the ORL, via the internet while interacting with real equipment and making actual observatio...
This paper presents a systematic approach to designing a dynamic metaheuristic fuzzy logic contro... more This paper presents a systematic approach to designing a dynamic metaheuristic fuzzy logic controller (FLC) to control a piece of non-linear plant. The developed controller is a multiple-input–multiple-output (MIMO) system. However, with the proposed control mechanism is possible to adapt it to single-input–single-output (SISO) systems as well. During real-time operation, the dynamic behavior of the proposed fuzzy controller is influenced by a metaheuristic particle swarm optimization (PSO) mechanism. Nevertheless, to analyze the performance of the developed dynamic metaheuristic FLC as a piece of non-linear plant, a 1 kW four-wheel independent-drive electric rover is controlled under different road constraints. The test results show that the proposed dynamic metaheuristic FLC maintains the wheel slip ratio of all four wheels to less than 0.35 and a top recorded translational speed of 90 km/h is maintained for a fixed orientation.
7th International Conference on Information and Automation for Sustainability, 2014
Designing and developing AI controllers on separately dedicated chips have many advantages. This ... more Designing and developing AI controllers on separately dedicated chips have many advantages. This paper reviews the development of a real-time fuzzy logic controller for speed control of a dc motor using Arduino Due board. The proposed fuzzy logic controller is based on Mamdani approach and has been tested on the aforementioned high performance microcontroller board and using MATLAB. During the real-time operation the dc motor behavior and the fuzzy controller's response were plotted and the data were stored in MATLAB without interrupting the fuzzy logic controller. Based on these observed information, the system settling time and the rise time reduction were calculated for each input wave patent trajectories while increasing the wave frequency. It was noted that the system overshoot is negligible. Utilizing the aforementioned parameters the Arduino Due board performance was analyzed with the fuzzy logic speed control approaches of dc motors made by past researchers as mentioned above. The system response shows a satisfactory performance for this particular dc motor application when the input signal (desired output signal) frequency is less than 2 Hz, but further research is needed when identifying the optimum performance of the Arduino Due board for different fuzzy logic algorithms while increasing the desired input signal frequency.
In this paper, a dynamic optimization self-adaptive controller for a four-wheel independent drive... more In this paper, a dynamic optimization self-adaptive controller for a four-wheel independent drive electric rover has been investigated to enhance the dynamic stability. The proposed self-adaptive AI controller is based on dynamic Fuzzy Logic (FL) control mechanism. The dynamic self-adaptive properties have been integrated into the proposed FL controller through a dynamically tuned Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) mechanism. Nevertheless, the dynamic FL controller and the dynamic PSO mechanism has been synchronized together for every sampling instance k to obtain the optimum performance of the electric rover. In this electric rover, all the four wheels have a fixed orientation and each wheel powered by a 250-Watt Brushless Direct Current (BLDC) motor through separate gear ratio mechanisms to obtain the desired torque and angular velocity. Therefore, the steering mechanism was achieved in this rover through the proposed AI controller, which was based on the differential speed mechani...
Asian Association of Open Universities Journal, 2015
At present, people have a tendency to carry out higher education in a distance mode due to their ... more At present, people have a tendency to carry out higher education in a distance mode due to their busy lifestyles. However, open and distance learning (ODL) educational organizations encounter difficulties when delivering laboratory experiments. This paper presents the development of an online laboratory platform as a solution. It can be used to deliver laboratory experiments, using electronic components and instruments such as a signal generator and oscilloscope. Students are able to perform experimental tasks remotely utilizing real equipment and components. The system users can view laboratory environments via a camera which provides a sense of reality.The platform provides facilities to customize and rebuild the laboratory experiments according to the requirements of the organization. It can also be utilized as a useful educational tool to acquire pre-experience before entering the real laboratory. Thestatistical analysis shows no significant difference between the face-to-face l...
Compared to traditional motor controlling techniques, modern AI controllers have many advantages.... more Compared to traditional motor controlling techniques, modern AI controllers have many advantages. However, most of the developed FOC mechanisms are based on classical controlling techniques such as PID controllers, hybrid AI-classical controllers and model reference controllers. All these traditional controllers are based on sophisticated mathematical models (system transfer functions). These traditional controllers are unable to tune its system parameters by itself to adapt according to the non-linear variations of actual speed and torque of the motor. This paper discussed, a novel scheme of metaheuristic adaptive fuzzy logic-particle swarm optimization control mechanism to optimize the speed regulation of electric current space vector-controlled BLDC motor. Therefore, dynamic TSK-PSO-FLC was investigated. The dynamic behaviour of the proposed controller enables it to optimize its tuning parameters by itself under non-linear load and speed varying conditions to track the desired angular speed and the torque trajectories. This is a part of the designed and developed dynamic AI controller, for stability and traction control of an all-wheel-drive electric rover. Therefore, initially, the performance of the proposed controller has been tested on a simulation environment (MATLAB Simulink model) for one wheel. Finally, the identified dynamic parameters through the Simulink model (the sensored BLDC motor and the proposed AI controller) were utilized to test the performance of the developed TSK-PSO-FLC, while it is tracking a given desired speed trajectory of the BLDC motor (sensored, 3-ph and 250 W) in real-time operation. Simulated test results are analyzed and compared with the observed test results through the developed hardware model in addition to the newly published research work. The angular speed of 2500 rpm within a 500 N m torque have been taken into consideration as a generalized condition. It was noticed that the percentage overshoot (Mp%), settling time (Ts) and the steady-state error (Ess) is 0.501, 731.455 μs and 1.22 respectively. Therefore, compared to classical control based FOC mechanisms, the analyzed test results of the proposed control mechanism is showing that it has been optimized and enhanced the speed regulation performance of the BLDC motor significantly while increasing the frequency of the desired input trajectory up to 2 kHz.
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Papers by W. R. de Mel