A CONTROL SCHEME FOR AN OPPOSED RECUMBENT TANDEM HUMAN-POWERED BICYCLE

Feedback control of a human-powered single-track bicycle is investigat ed through the use of a linearized dynamical model in order to develop feedback gains that can be implemented by a human pilot in an actual vehicle. The object of the control scheme is to satisfy two goals: bal ance and tracking. The pilot should be able not only to keep the vehic le upright but also to direct the forward motion as desired. The two c ontrol inputs, steering angle and rider lean angle, rue assumed to be determined by the rider as a product of feedback gains and ''measured' ' values of the state variables: vehicle lean. lateral deviation from the desired trajectory, and their derivatives, Feedback gains an deter mined through linear quadratic regulator theory, This results in two c ontrol schemes, a ''full'' optimal feedback control and a less complic ated technique that is more likely to be usable by an inexperienced pi lot. Theoretical optimally controlled trajectories are compared with e xperimental trajectories in a lane change maneuver.