Development of Dynamic Neural Models and its Hardware Fabrication for the Nonlinear Control of Airship

Principal Investigator: Prof. R. S. Pant,

Department of Aerospace Engineering,

Co-Investigator: Prof. R.D. Gudi,

Department of Chemical Engineering,

IIT-Bombay

                                                

Project Summary:

           Biological neural network endows human being to carry out very complex tasks such as pattern recognition, speech processing and controls without developing explicit mathematical models of the task and the environment, or other complex mathematical operations. Based on the analogy of biological neural network, neural networks have been developed which have got myriads of applications. Most of the task accomplished as mentioned above involves feed forward or recurrent network which has sigmoid neural model (first order). The development in the area of dynamic neural model as the basic neuron has not been very impressive. Here, a proposal to develop dynamic neural models and put it on the hardware for the autonomous nonlinear control and navigation of airships is put forth. Airship is a-powerful alternative as-a means of transportation in the hilly terrain. Finally, the project coordinator wants to offer a course in the area of neural networks for control and other, engineering applications. This project will boost the real life application of neural networks in India.

 

SPECIFIC TASKS TO BE CARRIED OUT:

1. Formulation of new dynamic neural models and develop neural network models based on these neural models.

2. A detailed theoretical analysis of different neurofuzzy/neural models developed.

3. A detailed analysis of speed, stability, convergence and flexibility on the dynamic neural networks in order to make them viable for the  real-time control and other engineering applications.

4. Fabrication neural network hardware to be used as nonlinear controller for the airship.

5. Comparing the efficacy of neurocontroller over the conventional control strategy by experimenting on airships.

 

 PROJECT COMMENCEMENT DATE: 10 March 2004
 DURATION: 2 years

PROGRAM ON AIRSHIP DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

PADD

Research And Development Projects