Modellistica Identificazione e Controllo
Web site: http://staff.polito.it/gustavo.belforte/
Research Activities
Modeling, identification, and control of engineering systems are the main research fields of this unit. Particular attention is devoted to develop a methodology for those cases in which uncertainties and errors are not described in a statistical setting. Such approach can be of particular interest in all those applications in which uncertainties and errors, both in the model and in the data, are described in terms of tolerances or the data are available in quantized form.
Beside investigating theoretical problems, this unit is involved in the study of several applications in different fields like robotic applications for food engineering, modeling and control in agriculture and environment, software correction of systematic errors in numerical control machines.
The focus of the theoretical research carried on in the last years has been mainly oriented to the study of optimal experimental design techniques involving both the choice of optimal sampling times and the selection of optimal input functions that can allow for a reduction in the estimation uncertainties. Identification algorithms and optimal identification approaches for some particular model structures such as LPV and Hammerstein models have also been studied.
Another line developed in the last years in cooperation with the Asian Institute of Technology has been the study of procedures for the correction of systematic errors in numerical control machines.
Main academic research results
Algorithms for parameter identification have been developed for the case in which measurement errors are unknown but bounded.
Procedures and algorithms for parameter identification of Hammerstein models in the case in which errors are unknown but bounded.
Procedures for the optimal sampling schedule selection that minimize the uncertainties of parameter estimates.
Procedures for the optimal selection of input signals allowing the minimization of the uncertainties of the parameter estimates.
Main applied research results
Development of sensorization and control for a flexible pneumatic actuator developed in partnership with the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Politecnico di Torino.
Development of prototype robots for agricultural applications.
Two patents on procedures for the software correction of systematic errors of numerical control machines.
Other initiatives
Participation to international cooperation projects conducted in the framework of EU-funded projects.
Research projects and contracts
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Asia IN-MEM: Development and delivery of INnovative user tailored master level courses in MEchatronics using Multimedia and teleteaching approaches.
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Pneumatic and mechatronic system for cultivation and harvesting of local traditional agricultural products