Rotary Inverted Pendulum: A Control Systems Experiment Platform

The Rotary Inverted Pendulum is an educational platform for advanced control theory, designed for hands-on experiments in system modeling, LQR, and nonlinear dynamics.


🧭 About the Project

The Rotary Inverted Pendulum is a classic benchmark system in control engineering, designed to test a variety of control strategies under nonlinear and underactuated dynamics. This project provides a 3D-printable and modular version of the platform, suitable for both undergraduate and graduate-level education.

It consists of a rotary base driven by a DC motor, with a rigid pendulum attached at the end. The system is both nonlinear and unstable, requiring sophisticated controllers to maintain the upright position of the pendulum.


✨ Key Features

  • Open-loop and closed-loop control experiments
  • Model-based simulation using MATLAB and Python
  • Implementation of PID, LQR, and state observer designs
  • High-resolution rotary encoder for angular feedback
  • Educational resources for modeling, linearization, and controller synthesis

🛠️ Educational Objectives

The Rotary Inverted Pendulum is ideal for:

  • Control systems laboratories
  • Graduate-level nonlinear control coursework
  • Hands-on demonstrations of state-space modeling
  • Benchmarking real-time control algorithms

📦 Files & Documentation

  • Complete CAD files for 3D printing
  • Electronics schematics and PCB layout
  • MATLAB/Simulink and Python models for simulation and control
  • Setup and tuning guides for real-time experiments

Let me know if you’d like to add links to GitHub, a DOI to a paper, or a BibTeX entry for citation.