Observer-based drive-control for self-balanced vehicles

This paper presents an innovative unicycle which is powered by a four-quadrant dc-servo drive consisting of a permanent exited dc-motor and a 4q-chopper converter. The control of gravitation, speed and torque is done by an observer-based cascade structure which stabilizes the unicycle automatically and places the driver's position in such a way that the centre of gravity is always above the axle of the wheel. As electric drive systems are able to correct the tilt angle nearly one hundred times a second this electric vehicle on one wheel can stand absolutely alone just like ghostly balanced.