Heliostat-Integrated Modules for Engineering Courses in Robotics, System Dynamics, and Control

Abstract

Heliostats are mirror arrays used in concentrated solar thermal power (CSTP) technology; they offer a rich, physical platform that maps naturally onto canonical topics in kinematics, dynamical modeling, systems analysis, and feedback control. This article presents the design and implementation of heliostat-integrated curriculum modules developed for two core mechanical engineering courses at Northeastern University: ME 3460 Robot Dynamics and Control, and ME 4555 System Analysis and Control. In ME 3460, four homework modules frame the heliostat as a robotic manipulator, requiring students to apply forward kinematics (FK), inverse kinematics (IK), Jacobian analysis, transfer function and state-space representations, and waypoint design for robotic motion planning. In ME 4555, a three-phase sequence of assignments progresses from nonlinear equation-of-motion derivation and linearization, through open-loop transient analysis in MATLABⓇ, to closed-loop PID design using root locus methods. Over the first 2 years of deployment, the heliostat context was experienced by 64 students in ME 3460 and 440 students in ME 4555. We identify plug-in points for heliostat topics in existing curricula, including possible extensions and integration with matlab. The curriculum is transferable to analogous courses in aerospace and electrical engineering.