He's solved a non trivial controls problem in an apparently very robust way. Making a stick stand up isn't easy. Making one go from down to up so quickly isn't easy. Making one that automatically corrects to up so quickly is pretty damn cool.
I'm not giving it five because it's particularly interesting. My five is for how he kept beating the shit out of the poor thing to try and stop the machine from getting an erection.
glasseye: I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND. Seriously. Controls problem? I've googled a little and still don't get it. What are the practical applications? I'm sorry to be all Hornytoad up in this shit, and I'm sure it IS important, but I really do not understand why.
Control systems are EVERYWHERE. Any type of robotic or computer controlled mechanical device beyond a simple motor requires a control systems analysis.
This is like a racecar of the controls systems world. Sure there isn't a direct use for it, but it's a damn cool feat of engineering.
I'm sure something very interesting and scientifical just happened, but given that there's explanation as to what or why I'm watching a stick stand up and some dude hit it I don't really give two shits. I think I just wrote too much.
Swinging up a pendulum using arm position reference stepping to add energy to the system. Position reference is stepped based on measured pendulum rotational position.
To catch and balance the pendulum, a full state feedback controller is used. If the system cannot recover from a large disturbance, the pendulum is stabilized in the downward position and swings up again after a time delay.
If the disturbance is large enough to force the pendulum all the way around again (at the end of the video), the control attempts to catch the pendulum when it comes around.
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