An inverted pendulum with a springy control as a model of human standing
Frank Borg
Abstract
The normal and the inverted pendulum continue to be one of the main physical models and metaphors in science. The inverted pendulum is also a classic study case in control theory. In this paper we consider a special demonstration version of the inverted pendulum which is controlled via a spring. If the spring constant is below a critical level the springy control will be unstable and the pendulum will be kept from falling only by exercising a dynamically varying control. This situation resembles the case of human bipedal quiet standing with the Achilles tendon serving as the spring. The paper is written with physics students in mind.
Create a lesson
Related papers
A Variational Framework for Nonlinear Chemical Thermodynamics Employing the Maximum Energy Dissipation Principle
Adam Moroz
Retrievable but Unencountered: The Missing Exposure Denominator in Large Academic Ebook Collections
Jette Veenstra, Mauricio Munoz Arias
Where Energy Is Spent Sets the Depth of Kinetic Proofreading
Uğur Çetiner
On the Role of Dispersion in One Model of Propagation of Elastic Excitations in Nerves
Alexander I. Kozlov
Quantifying the Biophysical Properties of Red Blood Cells in Gaucher Disease
Zhaojie Chai, Marine de Person, Pierre A. Buffet et al.
Roles of vortices and turbulent eddies in particle preferential concentration and deposition in the human respiratory tract
Mengtao Li, Yawei Wang, Wentao Feng et al.