Virtual Prototyping and Physical Validation of an Inverted Pendulum : "Sea-Calf Bot"

Abstract: The work is motivated by the goal of linking reality and model, and to see if there is an opportunity to develop an inexpensive educational tool for training in cyber-physical systems. This project has investigated the possibilities to build a cheap inverted pendulum with controller and connect this with the modeling language Acumen. Acumen models is used for comparison with the actual prototype. To solve these problems has a 3D printer been used to create hardware, Arduino UNO for control and Raspberry Pi for enable communication with Acumen over WLAN. The result was a cheap inverted pendulum, which can be built for a cost around 750 SEK. Graphs created in Acumen and from data collected from sensors can be analyzed. With a model of the inverted pendulum system, the results show that Acumen can be used in the development of cyber-physical systems. There are differences between model and reality but also similarities.