AN INTERNET-DRIVEN TOWER CRANE FOR DYNAMICS AND CONTROLS EDUCATION

An advanced controls class taught at both the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Tokyo Institute of Technology focuses on command generation, remote manipulation, and human interaction with control systems. To aid in teaching these concepts, a portable tower crane was constructed. The tower crane can follow pre-programmed trajectories or be driven manually. It can also be operated from anywhere in the world with an internet connection. The crane can perform both feedback and command shaping anti-swing control while measuring trolley position and payload swing. The system enables students to perform a variety of useful and interesting laboratories and student projects. The students participated in and studied the effects of remote operator behavior, non-linear system dynamics, and advanced command generation techniques. The paper describes the tower crane and the results of this new educational endeavor.