Control Technology and Mathematics explained vividly with the Triple Pendulum

International Federation of Automatic Control is sponsoring the triple pendulum at the Max Planck Institute Magdeburg

Through their activity fund, the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC) has granted a 5,000 Euro support for a public Simulink model and for public show events of the triple pendulum, located at the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems Magdeburg.

The triple pendulum at the Max Planck Institute Magdeburg is connected to a cart that can be controlled by a computer. Stabilizing a pendulum in upright position is a common control benchmark. Controlling a double or triple pendulum requires powerful hardware and a sophisticated and well-tuned software.

The triple pendulum is used to test control algorithms in experiments. As opposed to pure simulations, the application in hardware comes with additional challenges like delays in communication and changing environmental parameters.

In addition, the pendulum is used to showcase the need and potential of control algorithms in regular visits of students or of the wider public on occasion of the annual Science Night in Magdeburg.

The IFAC Activity Fund supports initiatives that foster and promote public engagement and outreach from the control community.

The multinational International Federation of Automatic Control is concerned with automatic control and its representation in the fields of engineering, science and the impact of control technology on society.