Hydrogen, due to its high energy density, stands out as an energy storage method for the car industry in order to reduce the impact of the automotive sector on air pollution and global warming. The fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) emerges as a modification of the electric car by adding a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) to the battery pack and electric motor, that is capable of converting hydrogen into electric energy. In order to control the energy flow of so many elements, an optimal energy management system (EMS) is needed, where rule-based strategies represent the smallest computational burden and are the most widely used in the industry. In this work, a rule-based operation mode control strategy for the EMS of an FCEV validated by different driving cycles and several tests at the strategic points of the battery state of charge (SOC) is proposed. The results obtained in the new European driving cycle (NEDC) show the 12 kW battery variation of 2% and a hydrogen consumption of 1.2 kg/100 km compared to the variation of 1.42% and a consumption of 1.08 kg/100 km obtained in the worldwide harmonized light-duty test cycle (WLTC). Moreover, battery tests have demonstrated the optimal performance of the proposed EMS strategy.

Natural resources must be administered efficiently to reduce the human footprint and ensure the sustainability of the planet. Water is one of the most essential resources in agriculture. Modern information technologies are being introduced in agriculture to improve the performance of agricultural processes while optimizing water usage. In this scenario, artificial intelligence techniques may become a very powerful tool to improve efficiency. The introduction of the edge/fog/cloud paradigms, already adopted in other domains, may help to organize the services involved in complex agricultural applications. This article proposes the combination of several modern technologies to improve the management of hydrological resources and reduce water waste. The selected technologies are (1) fuzzy logic, used for control tasks since it adapts very well to the nonlinear nature of the agricultural processes, and (2) long range (LoRa) technology, suitable for establishing large distance links among the field devices (sensors and actuators) and the process controllers, executed in a centralized way. The presented approach has been validated in the laboratory by means of a control scheme aimed at achieving an adequate moisture level in the soil. The control algorithm, based on fuzzy logic, can use the weather forecast, obtained as a cloud service, to reduce water consumption. For testing purposes, the dynamics of the water balance model of the soil were implemented as hardware in the loop, executed in a dSPACE DS1104. Experiments proved the viability of the presented approach since the continuous space state output controller achieved a water loss reduction of 23.1% over a 4-day experiment length compared to a traditional on/off controller. The introduction of cloud services for weather forecasting improved the water reduction by achieving an additional reduction of 4.07% in water usage.

Photovoltaic panels present an economical and environmentally friendly renewable energy solution, with advantages such as emission-free operation, low maintenance, and noiseless performance. However, their nonlinear power-voltage curves necessitate efficient operation at the Maximum Power Point (MPP). Various techniques, including Hill Climb algorithms, are commonly employed in the industry due to their simplicity and ease of implementation. Nonetheless, intelligent approaches like Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) offer enhanced accuracy in tracking efficiency with reduced oscillations. The PSO algorithm, inspired by collective intelligence and animal swarm behavior, stands out as a promising solution due to its efficiency and ease of integration, relying only on standard current and voltage sensors commonly found in these systems, not like most intelligent techniques, which require additional modeling or sensoring, significantly increasing the cost of the installation. The primary contribution of this study lies in the implementation and validation of an advanced control system based on the PSO algorithm for real-time Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) in a commercial photovoltaic system to assess its viability by testing it against the industry-standard controller, Perturbation and Observation (P&O), to highlight its advantages and limitations. Through rigorous experiments and comparisons with other methods, the proposed PSO-based control system’s performance and feasibility have been thoroughly evaluated. A sensitivity analysis of the algorithm’s search dynamics parameters has been conducted to identify the most effective combination for optimal real-time tracking. Notably, experimental comparisons with the P&O algorithm have revealed the PSO algorithm’s remarkable ability to significantly reduce settling time up to threefold under similar conditions, resulting in a substantial decrease in energy losses during transient states from 31.96% with P&O to 9.72% with PSO.

In recent years, there has been significant interest in incorporating micro-actuators into industrial environments; this interest is driven by advancements in fabrication methods. Piezoelectric actuators (PEAs) have emerged as vital components in various applications that require precise control and manipulation of mechanical systems. These actuators play a crucial role in the micro-positioning systems utilized in nanotechnology, microscopy, and semiconductor manufacturing; they enable extremely fine movements and adjustments and contribute to vibration control systems. More specifically, they are frequently used in precision positioning systems for optical components, mirrors, and lenses, and they enhance the accuracy of laser systems, telescopes, and image stabilization devices. Despite their numerous advantages, PEAs exhibit complex dynamics characterized by phenomena such as hysteresis, which can significantly impact accuracy and performance. The characterization of these non-linearities remains a challenge for PEA modeling. Recurrent artificial neural networks (ANNs) may simplify the modeling of the hysteresis dynamics for feed-forward compensation. To address these challenges, robust control strategies such as integral fast terminal sliding mode control (IFTSMC) have been proposed. Unlike traditional fast terminal sliding mode control methods, IFTSMC includes integral action to minimize steady-state errors, improving the tracking accuracy and disturbance rejection capabilities. However, accurate modeling of the non-linear dynamics of PEAs remains a challenge. In this study, we propose an ANN-based IFTSMC controller to address this issue and to enhance the precision and reliability of PEA positioning systems. We implement and validate the proposed controller in a real-time setup and compare its performance with that of a PID controller. The results obtained from real PEA experiments demonstrate the stability of the novel control structure, as corroborated by the theoretical analysis. Furthermore, experimental validation reveals a notable reduction in error compared to the PID controller.

Electric vehicles (EV) have gained importance in recent years due to environmental pollution and the future scarcity of fossil resources. They have been the subject of study for many years, where much work has focused on batteries and the electric motor (EM). There are several types of motors in the market but the most widely used are induction motors, especially squirrel cage motors. Induction motors have also been extensively studied and, nowadays, there are several control methods used—for example, those based on vector control, such as field-oriented control (FOC) and direct torque control (DTC). Further, at a higher level, such as the speed loop, several types of controllers, such as proportional integral (PI) and model predictive control (MPC), have been tested. This paper shows a comparison between a Continuous Control Set MPC (CCS-MPC) and a conventional PI controller within the FOC method, both in simulation and hardware in the loop (HIL) tests, to control the speed of an induction motor for an EV powered by lithium-ion batteries. The comparison is composed of experiments based on the speed and quality of response and the controllers’ stability. The results are shown graphically and numerically analyzed using performance metrics such as the integral of the absolute error (IAE), where the MPC shows a 50% improvement over the PI in the speed tracking performance. The efficiency of the MPC in battery consumption is also demonstrated, with 5.07 min more driving time.

Piezoelectric actuators (PEAs) are widely used in high-precision applications but suffer from nonlinear hysteresis effects that degrade positioning accuracy. To address this challenge, this study presents a backstepping controller with an Artificial Neural Network (ANN)-based feedforward compensation scheme to enhance trajectory tracking performance. The ANN compensates for the hysteresis effects, while the backstepping strategy ensures robust reference tracking. The proposed controller is validated through real-time experiments using a piezoelectric actuator system. Comparative analysis with a conventional PID controller demonstrates the superiority of the backstepping approach, achieving significantly lower tracking errors across different reference signals and frequencies. Error metrics have been employed to confirm the improved accuracy and robustness of the proposed method. These findings highlight the effectiveness of the proposed ANN-enhanced backstepping control in overcoming hysteresis-related challenges in precision positioning applications.