Design and implementation of an inverted pendulum controller to be used as a lab trainer and a teaching tool

Abstract

The inverted Pendulum is one of the most challenging and important classical problems of Control Engineering. This paper presents a solution to this inherently unstable problem. With the pendulum being mounted on a cart that is moved by a belt spread between two pulleys. An optical encoder and a potentiometer are used to feedback the cart position and the pendulum angular displacement. This digital control of the system is developed using a microcontroller. The user can turn the parameters of the system through a user interface panel and observe the system response through a Computer Interface. The apparatus is intended to be used as a teaching tool to demonstrate the effects of Proportional, Integral, Derivate controls separately as well as in combination, on control systems to engineering students and a practical was developed for this purpose.