Master Thesis: Bilevel-Optimization on Motion Simulators

What to expect

In the Department for Flight Control and Simulation, one of the main activities is the development of full-motion simulators and their control algorithms. The algorithms consist of two parts. The first leads to the actual movement of the platform by providing joint angles or a Cartesian pose, which is then processed by the platform's controller. The second part, the motion cueing algorithm, transfers the motion from a simulation (e.g. flight simulation or driving simulation) to the workspace of the motion platform.
In this thesis you will develop a practical motion cueing algorithm based on Model Predictive Control (MPC) for a novel motion simulator. A key focus is the design of an input/trajectory parametrization using implicitly constrained B-splines, formulated as a bilevel optimization problem.

Your tasks

• Familiarize with the current setup of the 8 DOF motion platform, which includes the mechanical, system dynamics and control aspects
• Setup of an MPC motion cueing algorithm in CasADi
• Literature research on methods to solve bilevel optimization problems
• Implement implicit constrained B-Splines for the MPC algorithm
• Comparison of implemented methods in terms of quality and performance

Your profile

• Bachelors degree in mathematics, mechatronics, informatics or a comparable study programme
• Good programming skills in Python
• Knowledge in system dynamics
• Being able to work responsibly and independently