The Reaction Wheel Pendulum

The textbook "The Reaction Wheel Pendulum" offers a comprehensive analysis of the latest device for control training and research, the reaction wheel pendulum. It discusses the history and background of this innovative inverted pendulum as well as similar experimental devices. The authors develop detailed mathematical models that cover both linear and nonlinear aspects of the reaction wheel pendulum. Additionally, the sensors and actuators used for feedback control are examined in depth. The book addresses various control problems, including the linear control of the motor and the stabilization of the pendulum in an equilibrium position. Furthermore, hybrid and switching controls are discussed, along with practical challenges such as friction modeling and compensation, quantization of sensor signals, and saturation. This work is suitable both as a supplement for undergraduate and graduate courses in feedback control and as a laboratory manual and reference for research in the field of nonlinear control.