Space and Precision Automatics

Web site: http://staff.polito.it/enrico.canuto/

Research activity

  • Methodology
    • Embedded Model Control, a model based end-to-end procedure to design, implement and commissioning complex control systems
  • Precision automatics: automation of scientific instruments and space prototypes
    • the ‘Nanobalance’ thrust-stand capable of measuring sub-micronewton thrust in view of space qualification of electrical and cold-gas micro-thusters (the instrument, funded by the European Space Agency, is operating at Thales Alenia Space Italia labs, Turin, Italy)
    • optical interferometry: reference cavities, metrology lines
    • fine thermal multi-layer control of optical reference cavities
  • Space automatics: spacecraft and landing vehicle control
    • study and simulation of aerodynamic guided entry and precision landing of space vehicles on Mars (Thales Alenia Space, Regione Piemonte project STEPS, European mission EXOMARS)
    • study and design of the formation, drag-free and attitude control of next generation Earth gravity monitoring missions made spacecraft formations (European Space Agency)
    • drag-free and attitude control of the GOCE European satellite(Gravity field and Steady state Ocean Circulation Explorer): launched in spring 2009 and in operation
  • Elaborazione dati di missioni spaziali scientifiche:
    • nel passato missione astrometrica HIPPARCOS (100000 stelle)
    • a breve la missione GAIA (1 miliardo di stelle)
  • Digital control of industrial plants and devices
    • hierarchical control of mobile hydraulics
    • digital control of proportional electro-valves

Main theoretical results

Embedded Model Control
End-to-end methodology aiming at an axiomatic and coherent modelling, simulation, design commissioning and setup of complex digital control systems.

The principles are:

  • the embedded model (plant and environment) is a set of discrete-time state equations real-time updated in parallel to the plant, driven by the same plant command and providing the same plant measures
  • the model error, i.e. the difference between plant and model measures, is the unique source for reducing plant-to-model discrepancy
  • the digital control is built around the embedded model as the ensemble of three feedback algorithms:
  • Digital control of industrial plants and devices
    • reference generator (operator-to-model feedback)
    • noise estimator (plant-to-model feedback)
    • control law (model-to-plant feedback)
  • the noise estimator is the plant-to-model interface spilling the useful innovation for model updating
  • the reference generator matches operator requests to model capabilities
  • the control law is only driven by the embedded model

Main application results / trasferimento tecnologico

Embedded Model Control applications

  • formation, drag-free and attitude control of scientific satellites (GOCE, next generation gravity monitoring)
  • guidance, navigation and control of landing vehicles (under study)
  • laser interferometry: metrology lines, interferometric thrust-stand (Nanobalance)
  • mechatronics: vibration suppression of suspended optical cavities, tilt control of scientific instruments
  • fine thermodinamics: optical reference cavities
  • electro-hydraulics: proportional valves, mobile hydraulics through variable-flow pumps

Principali iniziative

  • Ph.D. course on Embedded Model Control
  • Workshop on Space and precision automation: sub-atomic precision for the Galaxy observation ( Politecnico di Torino, 2004 ).
  • Workshop on Automatic Control: from Earth to Heaven, FIAT Research Centre and Thales Alenia Space meet students. Ground and space vehicle active control: state of the art, future and study subjects. (Politecnico di Torino, January 18, 2008)
  • Workshop on Uncertainty and complexity: from Earth to Heaven, in honor of Francesco Donati (Politecnico di Torino, May 29, 2009)
  • Workshop on Embedded Model Control and mobile hydraulics with Case New Holland and FIAT Research Centre (Politecnico di Torino, October 27, 2009)

Research projects and contracts

Research staff