<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"><b>Dear IEEE Society Members,</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-family:Arial"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial">This is an announcement for the IEEE JRACS Chapter Kick-off meeting and monthly Technical Seminar.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial">If you are planning to attend please register using the link below.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family:Arial">This is an open event, so please feel free to forward this information to your colleagues or anyone that could be interested in the topic.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial">Finally, i</span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;background-color:transparent">f your company is interested in sponsoring food/drinks for this or for a future event </span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;background-color:transparent">please contact me.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="text-align:-webkit-auto;color:rgb(0,102,153);font-size:13px;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-align:-webkit-auto;color:rgb(0,102,153);font-size:13px;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Meeting Agenda:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p style="margin-right:0px;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-size:12px;margin-left:0px;margin-bottom:5px;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;margin-top:5px">
5:30pm Networking & Registration<br>5:50pm Official JRACS Chapter Kickoff<br>6:00pm Technical Presentation<br>7:00pm Adjourn</p><p style="margin-right:0px;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-size:12px;margin-left:0px;margin-bottom:5px;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;margin-top:5px">
<span><br></span></p><p style="margin-right:0px;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-size:12px;margin-left:0px;margin-bottom:5px;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;margin-top:5px">
<span>Best,</span></p><p style="margin-right:0px;text-align:-webkit-auto;font-size:12px;margin-left:0px;margin-bottom:5px;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;margin-top:5px"><span><br></span></p><div><b style="font-size:13px">Leandro G. Barajas, Ph.D., PMP, IEEE SM</b></div>
Chapter Vice-Chair IEEE Joint Robotics & Automation - Controls Systems (JRACS) Society<div>
IEEE Huntsville Section, Huntsville, AL<br>
<a href="http://www.LeandroBarajas.com" target="_blank">www.LeandroBarajas.com</a><div><a href="mailto:L.G.Barajas@ieee.org" target="_blank">L.G.Barajas@ieee.org</a><br><a href="tel:%2B1%C2%A0%28248%29705-8192" value="+12487058192" target="_blank">+1 (248)705-8192</a></div>
</div>
<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:blue"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center">
<b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:blue">IEEE Joint Robotics & Automation - Controls Systems (JRACS) Chapter Seminar</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial;color:red">Incorporating Input Saturation for</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial;color:red">Underactuated Surface Vessel Trajectory Tracking Control</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial;color:red"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:Arial">By Dr. Farbod Fahimi</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial">Assistant Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Alabama Huntsville</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center">
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial">University</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial"> of Alabama Huntsville (UAH), Olin B. King Technology Hall, Room S105</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center"><a name="135a72bf85fe9dcc_1359e6f3c6485ec7_OLE_LINK1" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)"></a><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial">5000 Technology Drive</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial">, Huntsville, AL 35899</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial">Thursday March 15, 6:00pm-7:00pm</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center"><font face="Arial"><br></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial">Soft
drinks will be provided</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:rgb(255,255,153)"><font color="#ff0000">Please
Register at:</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><a href="https://meetings.vtools.ieee.org/meeting_view/list_meeting/11027" style="background-color:rgb(255,255,153)" target="_blank">https://meetings.vtools.ieee.org/meeting_view/list_meeting/11027</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial">If your
company is interested in sponsoring food/drinks for this event</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial">please
contact the event organizers (see below).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;text-align:center"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial"><br></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial"> <img src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=7911d95409&view=att&th=135a72bf85fe9dcc&attid=0.0.2&disp=emb&realattid=ii_1359e59974acf5f0&zw" alt="Inline image 1"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial">Abstract:</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial"><br></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial">A Nonlinear Model Predictive Controller (NMPC) for trajectory tracking of surface vessels is presented. NMPC calculates the future control inputs based on the present state variables by optimizing a cost function. The fact that cost function incorporates input constraints as well as state errors in determining the control inputs is exploited. This method can be applied to all systems with input saturation. NMPC formulation and derivation of input constraints are presented. Here the controller is designed based on a 3 DOF nonlinear dynamic model of the vessel. The performance of the controller is demonstrated by simulations. A constant speed sine trajectory is defined as desired path and the simulation results for input saturation case show the control inputs (propeller speed and rudder angle of the vessel) remain within the saturation limits in extreme maneuvers, the vessel recovers from saturation. The vessel follows the trajectory very closely when the inputs are not saturated.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial"></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial">Speaker Bio:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial">Dr. Fahimi has over 10 years of research experience in dynamic modeling, system identification, linear and nonlinear controls, with applications to robotic system and autonomous vehicles. He received a PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering on dynamic modeling of flexible multi-body systems in 1999. He has graduated 8 Masters students, and has offered several senior design projects. He is currently supervising several full time and part time graduate students. He has taught several undergraduate and graduate level courses such as Dynamics, Vibrations, System Dynamics, Elasticity, Finite Element Method, Introduction to Robotics, and Advanced Robotics. He has authored a graduate level text book titles: Autonomous Robots; Modeling, Path Planning, and Control.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial"><img src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=7911d95409&view=att&th=135a72bf85fe9dcc&attid=0.0.1&disp=emb&realattid=ii_1359e570427fdf22&zw" alt="Inline image 2"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial"><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p align="center" style="margin-right:.25in;text-align:center">For
more information please contact:<br><span style="font-size:13px">Leandro
G. Barajas, Ph.D., PMP, IEEE SM<br></span><span style="font-size:13px">IEEE JRACS
Chapter ViceChair, </span><a href="mailto:L.G.Barajas@ieee.org" style="font-size:13px" target="_blank">L.G.Barajas@ieee.org</a>, <a href="tel:%2B1%28248%29%20705-8192" value="+12487058192" target="_blank">+1(248) 705-8192</a></p>
<p align="center" style="margin-right:.25in;text-align:center"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><font face="Arial" style="font-size:13px;text-align:-webkit-auto">To be added or removed from the <span class="il" style="background-image:initial">IEEE</span> </font><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:14px">Huntsville Section </span><font face="Arial" style="font-size:13px;text-align:-webkit-auto">email list, <br>
</font><font face="Arial" style="font-size:13px;text-align:-webkit-auto">just send an email to </font><a href="mailto:L.G.Barajas@ieee.org" target="_blank" style="font-size:13px">L.G.Barajas@ieee.org</a> <font face="Arial" style="font-size:13px;text-align:-webkit-auto">with <b><a href="mailto: L.G.Barajas@ieee.org?subject=ADD">ADD</a> </b>or <span class="il" style="background-image:initial"><b><a href="mailto: L.G.Barajas@ieee.org?subject=REMOVE">REMOVE</a></b></span> as the subject line.</font></span></p>
<p align="center" style="margin-right:.25in;text-align:center"><br></p><p></p>