As mechanical systems such as manipulators and actuators become more complex he computational burden makes it increasingly difficult to maintain a real-time solution for simulation in design or real-time control. This project deals with an innovative, parallel-computer architecture for simulation of mechanical systems that has evolved from analog rather than von Neumann digital computers. As such, it offers a considerable improvement in speed; preliminary estimates indicate it is 10 to 100 times faster than conventional architectures. The design has been validated for a small version of the architecture consisting of a single module (a small number of tightly-coupled processors). In Phase I, a version with several modules will be evaluated. Solution speed would be increased by modifying the scheduling algorithms. The extended architecture will be investigated by programming several applications to obtain detailed speed comparisons with conventional architectures. The principal Phase II effort is to construct a prototype to verify the Phase I timing assumptions.
Potential Commercial Applications:A method for rapid, low-cost simulation of mechanical systems could have uses for the design of automobiles, aircraft, missiles, power generators, and many other products.STATUS: Project Proceded to Phase II
