An Educational Platform for Real-Time Control and Reinforcement Learning Experiments Using Rotary Inverted Pendulum and LW-RCP

초록

This paper presents an integrated experimental platform for hands-on education in control engineering, built around a compact rotary inverted pendulum system based on a stepper motor and a Simulink-based Light Weight Rapid Control Prototyping (LW-RCP) environment. The proposed platform supports real-time implementation of a wide range of control experiments, including current-based vector control, nonlinear swing-up control, linear stabilization, and reinforcement learning-based control. The hardware consists of a rotary inverted pendulum made with 3D-printed components and a hollow-shaft stepper motor, incorporating a compact inverter realized through an L6234 motor driver. Its compact and lightweight design allows for tabletop experimentation, enabling one-device-per-student operation and enhancing scalability in education. On the software side, users can design controllers and collect real-time data through Simulink’s block-based modeling interface without coding. Moreover, Python integration enables sim-to-real experiments with reinforcement learning controllers. This platform complements traditional theory-centric control engineering education by offering rich hands-on experiences, thereby increasing student motivation and fostering a deeper conceptual understanding through the full process of controller design and system response analysis.

키워드