Piezoelectric inverted pendulum as a teaching aid for Mechatronics courses

New approach to design inverted pendulum as a teaching aid is presented; it is based on the application of piezoelectric actuators that generate motion in one or two directions, depending on the number of degrees-of-freedom of inverted pendulum. High resolution and fast response time of piezoelectric drives make the control algorithms more effective than in case of using electrical motors. In the simplest case the inverted pendulum with two degrees of freedom consists of piezoelectric bar with sectioned electrodes, capable of performing two-component resonant oscillations in two perpendicular directions, contacting with the passive surface (e.g. table). Transformation of oscillations into continuous motion is effected by usage of oblique impacts in the contact area of piezoelectric rod and passive surface.