Movie Clips:  
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side-by-side (2mb mov file): side-by-side comparison with and without mass damping

This video clip shows the need for vibration suppression and the effectiveness of the current cuntroller by comparing the system response without vibration suppression to the response with the current controller.

unstable (1mb mov file): with an unstable mass damping controller

This video clip shows SAMII"s response with an unstable controller.  Understanding the cause of this instability consumed most of my summer research efforts.  This controller was not intentionally any different than controllers used by previous students.  This video represents the state of my research as of April 2003 (the source of the instability has since been determined and corrected for).

without mass damping (2mb mov file): moving SAMII without mass damping

This video clip shows SAMII's response to a step change in desired angle without mass damping.  The system vibrates for more than 20 seconds, demonstrating the need for vibration suppression.

stable, effective mass damping control (1mb mov file): with a stable mass damping controller

This video clip shows SAMII's response to a step change in desired angle with mass damping.  SAMII moves to through the desired angle change and the vibration damps out in less than 4 seconds.  The damping ratio for the system has been improved from less than 0.05 to approximately 0.25.