Real World Feedback/Control Systems

A feedback and control system measures the actual output of a system by using some form of a sensor. Based on the difference between the desired and measured output, the controller sends signals to the device that, in turn, fixes the loop or system.

1.Automobile Steering Systems

• Sensing Mechanism: Driver looking at the street
• Actuation Mechanism: Steering Mechanisms
• Control Computation: Automobile
• The good thing about this is that a person is driving the car and sensing whether or not the car is going in the right direction as opposed to something that does not have the ability to actually see the course ahead or the obstacles in the way. However this is also the downside to this system. The person driving the car may have something impairing their vision and thus upset the intended direction of the car and end up in an accident.

2.Automobile Temperature Control Systems

• Sensing Mechanism: Temperature Sensor
• Actuation Mechanism: Automobile Cabin
• Control Computation: Thermostat and Air Conditioning Unit
• The good thing about this system is that someone doesn’t have to worry about changing the temperature all the time to make sure its just right and you don’t have to adjust it if you open up a window or another person gets in the car. However, if the temperature that you wanted the car to be at initially becomes too hot or too cold as you’ve adjusted from the temperature outside of your car to inside, you’ll have to change the system all over again.

3.Toasting bread

• Sensing Mechanism: your eyes as you watch your toast to become the desired color (amount that it is toasted)
• Actuation Mechanism: the power button on the toaster
• Control Computation: turning the power button off at the desired amount of toastiness
• The good thing about this is that you can monitor the system until your toast is just the right color for what you want. The bad this about this system is that it is not scientific in any way and there may be a bit of error, especially depending on the density of the bread, the previous means of storage, and the how evenly your toast is toasted.

4.Water spout for water bottles in a water fountain

• Sensing Mechanism: motion detector in the machine causes the water to come out
• Actuation Mechanism: water fountain turns on water flow
• Control Computation: timer in machine to turn off the water at the average hight of water bottles
• This is a good mechanism because you don’t have to hold down the button in order to fill up your water bottle or hold it at an angle which prevents it from being truly filled. This system isn’t great because it doesn’t take into account the water already in your water bottle or the size of the water bottle, meaning it could overflow or not be filled all of the way and you’d have to start the process again.