Real-Time Embedded System-Based Approach for Sensing Power Consumption on Motion Profiles

This paper discusses the energy consumption of three parabolic, trapezoidal, and S-curve profiles when implemented using an embedded system. In addition, it presents an alternative methodology for implementing motion controllers using an Advanced RISC Machine (ARM) microcontroller, which computes the trajectory and performs the control action in hard real-time. We experimented using a linear plant composed of a direct current (DC) motor coupled to an endless screw where a carriage was mounted. It can move mechanically along a rail at a distance of 1.16 m. A 4096 pulses per revolution (PPR) encoder was connected to the motor to calculate position and angular velocity. A Hall-effect-based current sensor was used to assess energy consumption. We conducted 40 tests for each profile to compare the energy consumption for the three motion profiles, considering cases with and without load on the carriage. We determined that the parabolic profile provides 22.19% lower energy consumption than the other profiles considered in this study, whereas the S-curve profile exhibited the highest energy consumption.