Effective development of reconfigurable systems using linear state-feedback control

As the complexity of system design has substantially increased, so, too, has the need for incorporating tradeoffs into the design process. When such tradeoffs are incorporated, the optimal system performance of each objective is sacrificed to increase the overall range of the system's functionality. Reconfigurable systems have been defined as systems designed to maintain a high level of performance through real-time change in their configuration when operating conditions or requirements change in a predictable or unpredictable way. When effectively applied, these reconfigurable systems have the ability to achieve the optimal performance for all system objectives, while also meeting the different constraints of each objective. A method of designing effective reconfigurable systems is presented that focuses on determining how the design variables of a system change, as well as investigating the stability of a reconfigurable system through the application of a state-feedback controller. This method is then applied to a study involving the design of a reconfigurable Formula One race car traversing a predefined racetrack where the design variables change values to achieve maximum performance.