Mechatronics

Definition
• Mechatronics is the combination of
Mechanical Engineering, Electronics
Engineering, Computer Engineering and
Control Engineering to create useful products
 Mechatronics involves combined work in the
following fields:
• Mechanical Systems
• Electronics
• Computer Engineering
• Control Engineering
 A Mechatronic System
• The importance of Mechatronics is best
understood by considering an example.
• We will see how the above engineering fields
fuse in a Mechatronics system.
• We will see how a holistic view is better than
modular view in these cases.
 Quad rotor
• Quad rotor is a vehicle which is like a
helicopter with four propellers
• These four propellers together provide the
thrust required to lift the quad rotor
• The quad rotor can be made to move forward,
backward, right or left by differentially
controlling the thrusts provided by each
propellers.
Quad rotor
 More on Quad rotor
• Of the four propellers, two rotate clockwise
and two rotate anticlockwise, while they are
shaped such that all four produce downward
thrust.
• This is to make sure that the angular
momentum of the propellers is cancelled
among themselves so that the total vehicle
does not rotate.
Propellers
 Mechanical System
• The Mechanical system of the Quad rotor has
a frame and four propellers
• As said above, two of the four propellers are
clockwise and the other two are anticlockwise
 Electro-mechanical sub-system
• The actuators which are generally used for
turning the propellers are DC Motors
• We preferably use Brushless DC motors
• The speed of these motors can be very
precisely controlled.
• They are driven by a central voltage source,
generally a Lithium Polymer battery
Brushless motor
 Electronics
• Each of the Brushless motor requires an
Electronic speed controller to control the
speed of the motor and to provide enough
current to the motor.
• It has an onboard microcontroller called
ATMega88
• It has a lot of other control circuitry
 Electronics(Sensor systems)
• The above Quad rotor has 3-axis
Accelerometers, 3-axis Gyros and 3-axis
Magnetometers to measure the Inclination
and heading of the Quad rotor
• It has on board Analog to Digital Converters to
digitize the sensor readings
Sensors
 Computation and Algorithms
• The digitized outputs from the sensors are
filtered to obtained noise free and
acceleration compensated tilt values. This
requires a lot of computation and filtering
algorithms.
• The Microcontroller needs to perform all the
above tasks and this demands for
computation efficiency.
 The Control System
• This is crux of the whole system which adds
life to the whole system.
• The quad rotor shown in the above case is
inherently in neutral equilibrium.
• This means that the Quad rotor need not stay
in the horizontal position even if it starts from
horizontal position.
• Even slightest disturbance can change its
orientation without any resistance(feedback)
 Control System
• This means, any asymmetry in any of the four
motors/propellers/speed controllers/initial
conditions/circuit wiring can cause the Quad
rotor to change it’s orientation from
horizontal.
• This is a serious problem as perfect symmetry
cannot be achieved.
 So, we need ‘Feedback’
• To get this feedback, we need a ‘Sensor’
• Once the sensor senses a difference, we want
to compensate. So we need an ‘Actuator’
• But we need to take in the sensor data,
interpret it sensibly, process it and give
required input to the actuator. So we need a
‘Processing Unit’.
 Interesting Work
• It is interesting to note that one of the first
hobby Quad rotor was made by only two
people.
• The observation is that if one wants to be
good at Mechatronics, he needs to be good at
both Electronic and Mechanical parts,
because, it is only then that he develops a
holistic view about the end product.
• Just being good at electronics will not suffice
as you need to have a very good feel of the
response of the system and need to do a lot of
analysis on the mechanics of the system.
• On the other hand, just being good at
Mechanical part will not make him see the
advantages of the use of Electronics in the
system.
 Holistic view
A person who has a good overview of both the
systems reacts the following way:
• He does not go with IC Engines in replacement
for the DC motors because IC engines have
much slower response as compared to DC
motors.
• He will not use an aileron mechanism to control
the thrust from each motor as it is much less
responsive than DC motors.
Sensors, Actuators and Interfacing
Every Mechatronic system consists of Sensors,
Actuators and interfacing
Through the rest of our presentation, we will
be introducing a lot of Sensors, Actuators and
interfacing systems
 Sensors
• Sensors measure the value of a particular
physical quantity.
• We do not follow any particular order in listing
these sensors as we feel it is best that way!!
 Potentiometer
• Potentiometer is one of the simplest sensor.
• It can measure amount of angle that the knob
has rotated.
• The potentiometer is like a rotary rheostat.
• When powered, the output voltage of the
potentiometer varies linearly with the angle
rotated.
• The rated resistance of a potentiometer is the
sum of the pull up and pull down resistances.
Potentiometer
 Applications
• Potentiometer is widely used in servo motor
applications to provide an angle feedback.
• Linear potentiometers also exist which can
give position feedback.
 Limitations
• Potentiometers, basically being resistors give
rise to some thermal noise.
• Thermal noise is a general problem in any
analog sensor.
• Potentiometer, being a contact measurement,
is affected by backlash.
 Ultrasonic Range Sensor
• An Ultrasonic range sensors measures the
distance of an object from it self
• It is a non contact distance measurer
• The sensor sends out an ultra sonic sound wave.
• The wave travels, gets reflected at the object
and is received by the sensor again.
• The time gap between this is used to determine
the distance.
Ultrasonic range sensor
 Types of Output
• There are different types of output.
• The sensors can give an analog output which
is proportional to the distance of the object.
It gives a continuous output.
• Some sensors process the analog signal
obtained and output a pulsed output, where
the width of the pulse determines the
distance of the object.
Pulse output
 Applications
• Obstacle detection
• Ultrasonic range sensors are extensively used
in robotics for non contact measurement and
detection
• SONAR in defence applications
 Limitations
• The sensor has a finite cone of view and
hence its resolution is not negligible when the
distance of the object increases.
• If more than one sensor is being used at a
time then care should be taken that none of
the sensors get any stray echo
• The accuracy of the sensor is not very high
 IR Sensor
• Well known as the proximity sensor.
• If there is an object near the sensor the sensor
will output a logic high.
• The IR sensor consists of an IR light source,
and an IR detector.
• The IR detector detects whether there has
been a reflection of the IR light from an
object
A simple IR sensor
 Characteristics
• Generally used as an On Off sensor
• Only presence is known, the exact distance is
difficult to find
• Even this sensor can be activated by stray IR
light.
• Variation : Passive IR
 Passive Infrared Sensors
• Used to detect the presence of humans in a
region.
• This works on the same principle as the simple
IR sensor.
• The IR radiation emitted by our body is
detected and the adequate output is given
 Applications
• IR sensors are used as proximity sensors.
• PIR sensors are used to detect presence of
humans in a location and then control devices
like lights and fans
• A non contact bump sensor can be easily
devised from a IR sensor
 Other Infrared sensors
• IR Camera
• IR based Tilt sensing
 Infrared Camera
• As we know, all objects emit Infrared rays
depending on their temperature.
• These Infrared rays are not visible to eye.
• An Infrared camera can see it.
• This provides very good sight even in pitch
darkness.
• The following video demonstrates it.
 Infrared Tilt Sensor
• The sky and the ground have distinct IR
signatures, i.e. if you look sky and ground with
an IR camera, you will find them clearly
separated.
• At, sufficiently high altitudes and open
environment, this horizon can be used as a
horizontal reference and the tilt can be
measured.
• The IR tilt sensor uses four IR cameras and the
data from these cameras is used to measure
the tilt.
• The following shows a video of this tilt sensor
• A commercial product which is used by some
aeromodellers for flight stabilization is called
FMA - FS copilot
 Limitations
• The arena of operation should be sufficiently
open.
• This can be used only above a height (about 2
meters) from the ground
 GPS
• GPS : Global Positioning System
• This gives us the position of object of interest
anywhere on earth!
• Position is given in terms of Three dimensional
co-ordinates, them being Latitude , Longitude
and the height.
• Some systems give an output of even the
velocity of the object of interest
 How does it work
• The system gets a “fix” with 4 or more satellites
when it is initializes.
• Distance of the sensor from each of the satellite
is estimated.
• Now this information is transmitted using a
certain protocol called NMEA protocol
• A protocol standardizes the different kinds of
outputs that are possible when one uses a Global
Positioning system
 NMEA PROTOCOL
• Begins with a ‘$’ term
• Different kinds of data are separated by ‘,’
symbols
• The end of a single sentence is denoted by a
‘*’ symbol
• There is a checksum which follows each of this
sentence. This helps us check the data
obtained.
 Limitations
• Very unreliable indoors and other closed
places like subways etc.
• The satellite fix must be present always
• The velocity reading sometimes is very
inaccurate
• A typical GPS receiver has an accuracy over a
range of a circle of 3 meters
• The output of a GPS is not direct.
 GPS Augmentation in weak signal
environments
• A company called Locatacorp has recently
developed a technology which can directly
augment any GPS in the vicinity of the
module.
• The following animation shows it clearly
• This system is called ‘Locatalite’
Locatalite
 Camera
• A camera can be used as a sensor
• It ca be used to detect any sort of change in
the configuration of the system
• As long as something visible is changing, the
camera can be used to detect the changes in
the environment.
• Changes are measured by going to each pixel
and checking each pixel
 The difficulty
• Each pixel is characterized by the RGB values.
• So, we have to explain all the concepts like
straight line, round box, bright light, big nose,
blue eyes, beautiful face or anything that we
want only in terms of an array of RGB values.
• This is what makes Image processing a difficult
and intensive process.
 The Camera is different…
• The camera is a different kind of sensor
• The output of a camera is very simple .Only
raw data is given by simple cameras.
• To get useful information out of the system
some amount of processing needs to be done.
• Detection through image processing has a
wide range of application
 Some image processing examples
• Line detection
• Light detection
• Contour detection
• Mono SLAM
 Limitations
• The image processing is highly computation
intensive
• There is no defined right path to take
• The setup should be very robust. Even slight
unwanted movements of the camera can greatly
spoil the results .
• The image processing cannot be done on smaller
processing units, more often than not a
computer needs to be connected
 Hall Effect sensor
• This is another non contact position sensor
• This works based on hall effect
• The sensor detects the strength of the
magnetic field and gives a corresponding
voltage output.
• The Hall effect sensor works at a lower range.
• While the out put is continuous, the sensor is
normally used for ON OFF applications
 Applications
• They are widely used in brushless motors to
detect when the rotor crosses a particular point
• A cars fuel tank uses a hall effect sensor to detect
if tank is full or empty.
• Non contact position sensor with a continuous
output
• Hall effect sensors can be used to detect strain in
the object
• Master –follower robots
Usage of Hall effect sensor
 Inductive position sensors
• When presence of a metal object needs to be
detected, we can use inductive sensors.
• These sensors work on the basis of induction
• These are widely used in two stroke engines
for timing the spark.
 Pressure Sensors
• Pressure sensors detect the pressure at any point of time.
• These are used in may applications
• There are different kinds of pressure sensors
o Peizo resistive
o Potentiometric
o Peizoelectric
o Capacitive
o Inductive
o And many other types
 Applications
• Pressure Sensor
• Altitude sensing
• Flow speed sensing
• Leak sensing
• Level/Depth sensing
 Z Cam
• Z Cam is a very recent technology which can
measure the ‘Z’ of each pixel along with RGB
values
• This allows us to take and build 3D images
• It has not been released as a product yet.
• It will have wide applications in gaming and
mobile robot positioning
 Encoders
• Encoders are used to measure the rotation
angle.
• They have a shaft which is to be connected to
the part of the system which rotates.
• The output of the encoder gives the angle by
which the shaft rotates.
Encoders
 Types of Encoders
• There are two main types of encoders
• Absolute Encoders: These Encoders give the
absolute angle rotated by the shaft. Their
output is, at a very basic level, a binary code.
• Relative encoders: These Encoders give the
incremental angle rotated by the shaft. They
do not convey the absolute angle rotated by
the shaft.
 Absolute encoders
• These encoders need as many bits as the logarithm of
the number of levels that you want i.e. Nb = ceil(log2N)
where N is the number of levels that we want.
• For example, a if we want to have 210 = 1024 levels
from 00 to 3600, we need to have 10 wires from the
Encoder.
• This makes it slightly cumbersome to use it directly
with a microcontroller without additional circuitry.
• Also, these are slightly intricate in design which makes
them costly.
Relative & Absolute Encoders
 Relative encoders
• Relative encoders, as the name suggests, give
the incremental angle rotated by the shaft.
• The precision of these encoders is given in ppr
(pulses per revolution).
• There exist as high as 4000 – 5000 ppr
encoders.
 Applications
• Encoders are widely used in computer mice.
• There are three encoders in a normal ball mouse,
two for X and Y and one for scroll.
• These are relative encoders, as it is only the
increment in motion that is needed and not the
absolute position of the mouse.
• They are also used in industrial robots and
automation of manufacturing lines.
• They are used in some photographic lenses
 LIDAR
• LIDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging
• LIDAR is used to measure distances.
• It uses a LASER beam which is directed to the
target whose distance is to be measured.
 LIDAR
• LIDAR sends out a LASER pulse ,which gets
reflected from the target and comes back.
• The time of flight of the pulse is measured.
• This gives the distance.
 Scanning Laser Range Finder
• Scanning Laser Range Finder is an advanced
version of the single beam LIDAR.
• It uses a rotating mirror which directs the
Laser beam in all the directions and measures
the distance of the obstacle in that direction
• The output of this is a 2D Range scan.
Scanning Laser Range Finder
Pic of LIDAR
 Applications of LIDAR
• Used widely in autonomous robotics for
obstacle detection, positioning, path planning
etc.
• Terrain mapping
• Precise non contact distance measurement for
surveying
 Limitations
• Does not work for extremely shiny surfaces
• Cannot detect the presence of glass
• Gives a precisely 2D scan which is difficult to
apply in a 3D environment
 Inertial Measuring Unit
• Inertial Measurement Unit is the module which
gives the orientation, acceleration in all three
direction using a set of accelerometers and
gyros
• It consists of accelerometers along all three
directions and rate gyros about all three
directions.
• Some of the IMUs also have Magnetometers
along all three directions
IMU, an old one
MEMS accelerometers and gyros
 MEMS Accelerometers
• An accelerometer measures acceleration
• Many of the commercially available and used
accelerometers are MEMS accelerometers
• MEMS stands for Micro Electro Mechanical
Systems.
• The following slide shows the internal
structure of an accelerometer
 Working of accelerometer
• Accelerometer can be considered as a spring mass
system
• MEMS accelerometer has a precisely known mass
called ‘proof mass’.
• The pseudo force experienced by the proof mass
results in a strain in a piezoelectric sensor.
• This produces a voltage which is amplified and
given out.
• Damping is also present
Analogy of a MEMS accelerometer
 Working of an accelerometer
• There are other ways of measuring the stress
produced by proof mass some of them being
• Change in resistance
• Change in capacitance
 MEMS Rate Gyros
• Rate gyros measure the angular velocity
• A basic rate gyro will give a voltage
proportional to the angular velocity as the
output.
• They are generally rated in terms of the
maximum and minimum speeds that they can
measure
MEMS gyros analogy
 Working of a rate gyro
• A rate gyro has an oscillating piezo-electric
crystal.
• When the gyro rotates along a direction
perpendicular to the direction of oscillation,
the crystal experiences a coriolis force.
• This force is measured by another piezo-
electric crystal which gives a voltage output.
 Magnetometers
• Magnetometers measure the Magnetic field
passing through it.
• This is used to find the orientation of the
sensor along the horizontal plane.
 Applications of accelerometers and rate
gyros
• Robotics
• Positioning
• Tilt sensing
and many more
 Merits of MEMS devices
• They are small and light weight
• They are relatively easy to manufacture
• They are relatively cheap
 Limitations of MEMS devices
• They have relatively larger noise and bias and
are less accurate as compared to other gyros
Opto Sensors
 Optical Sensors
• Advantages :-
o Simple, no loading effect, can have a very long
range
o Does not get affected by stray magnetic fields and
interferences.
• Requirements :-
o A Light Source
o A photodetector
o Light guidance devices
Optical Gyro Sensor
SagNac Effect
Sagnac Effect :- The optial
path light difference is
experienced by two light
beams travelling in
opposite directions in a
rotating frame.
 Actuators
• Actuators are those elements in a mechatronic
system that give a mechanical output for a
control signal from a computer .
• Again the list of actuators are not in a
particular order !
 DC Motor
• One of the most commonly seen and used
actuator.
• Converts electric energy into mechanical
(rotation) energy.
• DC Motors are used in a wide range of
applications
DC Motor
 Controlling a DC motor
• The Voltage given to a DC motor controls the
speed of the DC motor
• A Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) digital signal
can also be used for controlling a DC motor
• The following slide shows a PWM signal
• Many of the microcontrollers have internal
circuitry for producing PWM
PWM
Speed-torque characteristics of a DC motor
 Servo Motors
• These are DC motors coupled with a
potentiometer.
• These motors allow us to precisely specify the
position to which the motor must rotate to
• This itself is control system!
• There are both digital and analog servos
 Digital Servos
• The control signal to these servos is given by
sending a pulse.
• The width of the high pulse determines the
position of the servo.
• Commercially available digital servos do not
rotate the whole of 360 degrees.
Servo motor
 Stepper Motors
• As the name suggests, stepper motors rotate
in steps.
• Strictly speaking, stepper motor is just an
array of electromagnets.
• It has a common ground and generally four
wires.
• Each of these is connected to an alternate
array of electromagnets as shown in the figure
Stepper motor working
Stepper motor
 Applications
• Stepper motor is mainly used in industrial
robots where, precise movement is needed.
• It can also be used where precise control over
the speed is needed.
 Brushless DC Motors
• Brushless motors are different from normal
motors in that they have separate circuitry for
changing the polarity of motor.
• So they do not have carbon brushes which are
present in normal motors.
 Merits and Demerits
Merits
• Low power losses
• Precise speed control
• Lesser moment of inertia
• Lesser maintenence required
Demerits
• Need control circuitry
• More expensive
• Difficult to repair
 Linear Actuators
• Linear actuators convert the rotational motion
to linear motion
• Strictly speaking these are not wholly separate
class of actuators but some extensions of DC
motor
• These are widely used in industrial robotics
 Interfaces
• The controllers , the sensors, the actuators all
these need to be interfaced with each other
• Only if there is a continuous communication
possible is there a way to get the system to a
working condition.
• There are two basic interfaces that must be
done to complete a control system
 The Two Interfaces

• Sensors to the controller

o The different sensors in a system must be
connected to the controller of the system. The
controller must be able to access the output of the
sensors at anytime to be able give the right
control signals to the actuators.
 The Two Interfaces
• Controller to Actuators
o The actuators need to be controlled based on the
sensor outputs. The controller needs to send the
right control signals for this to happen. These
interfaces must be secure and should not allow
any noise to be transmitted.
 Analog to Digital Convertors
• Many of the sensors produce a Voltage output
• These voltages need to be digitized for using it
in computers
• Hence we need Analog to Digital
convertors(ADCs)
 ADCs
• ADCs are characterized mainly by the
resolution that they have.
• An 8 bit ADC means that there are 28 = 256
distinct levels possible in between 0 and Vcc
• i.e a 10 bit ADC working with a voltage of
5Volt can distinguish between 5/210 which is
nearly 5mV
 DACs
• Digital to Analog converters convert a digital
signal to analog signal
• This is required to drive any real actuators
• A Pulse Width Modulator with a capacitor at
the output is a very crude DAC
 Applications
• They are used so widely in every sensor and
electronic systems that the word ‘applications’
is not suited for them!!
 Communication to computer
• In robotics, communication to computer is
usually done by serial or parallel ports
SELF BALANCING CYCLE
THANK YOU