Page 48 - Modern Control Systems

22 Chapter 1 Introduction to Control Systems
engineering, computer science, and the natural sciences. Advancements in tradition-
al disciplines are fueling the growth of mechatronics systems by providing "enabling
technologies." A critical enabling technology was the microprocessor which has had
a profound effect on the design of consumer products. We should expect continued
advancements in cost-effective microprocessors and microcontrollers, novel sensors
and actuators enabled by advancements in applications of microelectromechanical
systems (MEMS), advanced control methodologies and real-time programming
methods, networking and wireless technologies, and mature computer-aided engi-
neering (CAE) technologies for advanced system modeling, virtual prototyping, and
testing. The continued rapid development in these areas will only accelerate the
pace of smart (that is, actively controlled) products.
An exciting area of future mechatronic system development in which control
systems will play a significant role is the area of alternative energy production and
consumption. Hybrid fuel automobiles and efficient wind power generation are two
examples of systems that can benefit from mechatronic design methods. In fact, the
mechatronic design philosophy can be effectively illustrated by the example of the
evolution of the modern automobile [64]. Before the 1960s, the radio was the only
significant electronic device in an automobile. Today, many automobiles have 30-60
microcontrollers, up to 100 electric motors, about 200 pounds of wiring, a multitude
of sensors, and thousands of lines of software code. A modern automobile can no
longer be classified as a strictly mechanical machine—it has been transformed into a
comprehensive mechatronic system.

EXAMPLE 1.1 Hybrid fuel vehicles
Recent research and development has led to the next-generation hybrid fuel automo-
bile, depicted in Figure 1.19. The hybrid fuel vehicle utilizes a conventional internal
combustion engine in combination with a battery (or other energy storage device
such as a fuel cell or flywheel) and an electric motor to provide a propulsion system
capable of doubling the fuel economy over conventional automobiles. Although