Sensor selection via closed-loop control objectives

The ability to stabilize a system and achieve performance objectives using active feedback control is highly dependent on the location, quality, type, and number of control actuators and sensors. One role of a control enginee r is to interact with the system designer to locate, size, and determine th e quality of actuators and sensors required for effective control. This pap er addresses one of these issues: location of sensors based on closed-loop objectives. A systematic approach, based on H-2 optimal control design tech niques, is developed for sensor selection which achieves desired performanc e objectives and includes system constraints. This approach is applied to t he selection of sensors for active vibration attenuation on the NASA Langle y Mini-Mast experimental structure.