鈥淚鈥檓 very happy to be part of the fantastic work on high-tech systems at 果冻传媒鈥�
Within the Department of Mechanical Engineering, researchers from the Dynamics and Control group aim to understand and predict the dynamics of complex engineering systems in order to develop advanced control, estimation, planning and learning strategies for the intelligent autonomous systems of the future. The underlying scientific research is not only agnostic to specific application fields 鈥� allowing for applications in everything from energy and health to mobility and high-tech systems 鈥� but also highly multidisciplinary. Professors Nathan van de Wouw and Idoia Cortes Garcia take a look at how collaboration with industry and other researchers helps push their field forward, as well as the role that the High Tech Systems Center (HTSC) plays in this.
Complementary expertise
Within 果冻传媒, the Dynamics and Control group is unique in that it aims to combine expertise on all aspects of the dynamic behavior of engineering systems and on the automation and control of these types of systems. This work is crucial for the design, manufacturing and operation of high-tech systems. As such, the group is a key piece of the puzzle in HTSC鈥檚 mission to unite research activities on complex, high-tech mechatronic systems into one top-level research center. Key research topics that Dynamics and Control tackles include modeling, digital twinning and simulation, design and systems engineering for complex high-tech systems (in which digital twinning plays a vital role), diagnostics to identify system faults or external threats, and control algorithms that are essential to achieving optimal system performance.
As an assistant professor and a researcher, Idoia鈥檚 journey to the group has taken her from studying Mathematics in her native Spain to a PhD in Computational Engineering in Germany, after which she joined 果冻传媒. 鈥淢y background is highly interdisciplinary, which reflects the kind of research I do. I work mostly on computational engineering and digital twins, focusing on simulation methodologies to efficiently solve coupled multi-physical systems. This involves analyzing and simulating different heterogeneous, interconnected systems with a system-level perspective. Lately, I鈥檝e also been exploring hybrid systems, where data-based techniques are combined with classical physics-based models.鈥�
鈥淏oth our roles are geared toward strengthening the ties between the university, the department, our section and the individual researchers with the high-tech industry, mainly in the Brainport region,鈥� says Nathan. 鈥淚鈥檓 a full professor in the group and I鈥檓 also the leader of the Dynamics and Control section, which is one of the eight research sections in our department. I鈥檓 also on the Academic Steering Board of the High Tech Systems Center and the Scientific Board of the Eindhoven Artificial Intelligence Systems Institute (EAISI). So, a personal interest of mine is to maximize the interaction between the High Tech Systems Center and EAISI. Since AI is an important topic in high-tech systems, having a strong tie between the two is essential.鈥�
Achieving the goal
Today, complexity is the principal challenge facing high-tech systems. Consider the number of people involved in designing a single machine. How can this be kept manageable given the serious shortage of qualified people to handle difficult design jobs? A critical goal is therefore to support industry with tools that make it easier to design complex machines and assist the limited number of qualified engineers. This requires the active involvement of such engineers to ensure that research aligns with real-world needs, so the group and all of the academics within it maintain relationships with industrial partners. In turn, this leads to both bilateral collaborations and numerous projects with high-tech companies such as ASML, Canon, VDL, ASM PT and Demcon.
鈥淪o, how do we actually achieve that goal?鈥� asks Nathan. 鈥淚doia has very unique expertise on multi-physics modeling and how to deal with the simulation of highly complex systems. That鈥檚 not the expertise I have, but we interface on that topic of complexity. However, we also need to combine expertise from people in departments like Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and Applied Physics and Science 果冻传媒 to tackle these problems effectively. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 so important that all these departments come together in the HTSC. The center can facilitate consortia with industry and researchers from different departments to address multidisciplinary problems. For me, that is the key added value: bringing industry, the university and people from different backgrounds together to solve future problems.鈥�
Success stories
The benefits of such an approach have been demonstrated time and time again. As an example, Nathan points to a project in which NXP and the Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Mathematics collaborated on complexity management for thermomechanical models of chips and their packaging, requiring expertise from mechanical engineering for the modeling side and numerical mathematics for efficient simulation and modeling. 鈥淚 mean, where are chips not used? What we do in our work with the semiconductor industry will impact us in many ways because they鈥檙e used not only in laptops and iPhones but in all kinds of devices in our personal lives.鈥�
Another case study is work with CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, which formed part of Idoia鈥檚 PhD. 鈥淭hey wanted to create a framework to simulate the superconducting magnets and their protection system,鈥� Idoia explains. 鈥淲e worked in a group with people from CERN, mostly electrical engineers, mathematicians, mechanical engineers and physicists, all collaborating on modeling and developing methodologies for this framework. In the end, it was named STEAM: Simulation of Transient Effects in Accelerator Magnets. It鈥檚 now being used at CERN and in other institutions as well. That was a very nice success story on how we work together with people from very different backgrounds.鈥�
Opportunities for impact
鈥淲e also work on other topics, like mechanical ventilation that supports people in hospitals with breathing,鈥� adds Nathan. 鈥淎nother topic is energy, where our knowledge in high-tech systems and AI plays a role. This might have an entirely different impact, like making the world more sustainable, and that鈥檚 what makes dynamics and control such a beautiful field to work in. As scientists, we think that progress in science should always be a goal in itself. But for me, having a real impact on society 鈥� whether on health, energy or otherwise 鈥� is the real driver. That鈥檚 the type of thing that makes you want to set up something like the High Tech Systems Center, aiming for more societal impact.鈥�
Idoia nods in agreement. 鈥淚鈥檓 very happy with the interdisciplinary collaboration that I get from the HTSC, both with other researchers from universities and with industry. This is something that鈥檚 very important for me on a personal level because, coming from abroad, I had no connection with the local industry. I can profit a lot from the challenges that new connections bring for my methods. As mentioned, classical algorithms don鈥檛 work as well anymore due to the increasing complexity of systems. That鈥檚 where I can step in. Digital twins and computer-based or automated modeling can help the design process; ultimately, this can lead to out-of-the-box designs that might increase efficiency in ways we can鈥檛 achieve right now. So, indirectly, that鈥檚 how we can contribute to other fields.鈥�
鈥淚n the end, as a representative of our department, it鈥檚 crucial to get as many interesting projects going as possible with industry,鈥� Nathan concludes. 鈥淪o, for me personally and as a section leader, the way that the HTSC brings people together within 果冻传媒, Brainport and beyond to tackle multidisciplinary challenges and helps build the right consortia with industry is very important. At Dynamics and Control, I have a unique position alongside Idoia (and our other colleagues), the High Tech Systems Center and all of the industry in the Brainport area and that鈥檚 a powerful combination for fantastic work on high-tech systems. So, I鈥檓 very happy to be part of that!鈥�