Parallel architectures for real-time control

The authors present an investigation into the utilisation of parallel computing techinques for real-time simulation and control of a flexible beam structure in transverse vibration. The performance demands of modern control systems require the employment of complex algorithms with demanding operations which, in turn, leads to shorter sampling times. Therefore, real-time performance in control applications where the use of advanced control methods is warranted becomes difficult to accomplish. Many demanding complex control processes cannot be satisfactorily realised with conventional uni-processor and multi-processor systems. Previous investigations have demonstrated the limitations of employing only transputers for real-time implementations in control applications. Alternative strategies where multi-processor based systems are employed, utilising digital signal processing (DSP) and parallel processing techniques, could provide suitable methodologies