Adaptive Control
Real-time decision algorithms that coordinate vision and mechanical subsystems while maintaining safety boundaries.
System Overview
The adaptive control subsystem functions as the decision-making layer that integrates vision data and mechanical feedback to generate real-time control commands. It coordinates subsystem responses, monitors safety parameters, and adjusts operational behavior based on continuous feedback from sensors and vision systems.
What It Does
Operating at 1000Hz, the control system processes sensor inputs and generates mechanical commands while maintaining operational constraints. Core functions include:
- •Path planning: Generates tool trajectories based on vision data and operational parameters, optimizing for efficiency within safety boundaries
- •Force modulation: Adjusts tool pressure in real time based on resistance feedback and hair density measurements
- •Collision avoidance: Monitors proximity to boundaries and obstacles, modifying paths to maintain clearances
- •Safety monitoring: Continuously evaluates sensor data against safety thresholds, triggering protective responses when limits approach
- •State management: Tracks operation progress and coordinates transitions between operational phases
Problem It Solves
Automated styling requires coordinated responses to dynamic conditions that cannot be predetermined. Static programming cannot handle:
- •Variations in hair density requiring different force application
- •Client movement necessitating path adjustments mid-operation
- •Unexpected obstacles entering the workspace
- •Tool wear affecting force transmission characteristics
- •Sensor anomalies requiring validation and response
The adaptive control system addresses these challenges by continuously evaluating conditions and adjusting behavior in real time. It translates high-level operational parameters into context-appropriate mechanical commands, enabling consistent outcomes despite variable conditions. This adaptive capability is what allows the system to maintain validated performance across different hair types, client positions, and environmental factors.
Technical Specifications
Constraints and Limitations
Operational Parameter Boundaries
The control system operates within validated parameter ranges for force, speed, and position. Operations requiring parameters outside these ranges are not supported. Expanding operational boundaries requires validation testing and safety certification.
Sensor Dependency
Control decisions depend on accurate sensor data. Sensor failures or data quality degradation trigger protective responses that may limit operational capability. The system cannot operate without minimum required sensor coverage.
Computational Requirements
Real-time control at 1000Hz requires dedicated computational resources. Processing delays affect control loop stability. The system requires specific hardware configurations to maintain performance specifications.
Adaptation Limits
While the system adapts to variations within validated ranges, extreme conditions may exceed adaptation capability. The system will halt operations rather than attempt execution outside validated performance envelopes.
Safety Integration
The control system implements multiple independent safety monitoring layers that operate continuously:
Redundant Safety Checks
Safety parameters are monitored by independent circuits at 2000Hz—twice the control loop rate. This redundancy ensures safety violations are detected even if primary control processing is delayed.
Graduated Response Protocol
Approaching safety limits triggers graduated responses: operation slowdown at 80% of limit, pause at 90%, immediate halt at 95%. This prevents abrupt stops while maintaining safety margins.
Anomaly Detection
The system monitors for unexpected patterns in sensor data, mechanical response, and vision tracking. Detected anomalies trigger operator notification and may initiate protective responses.
Operator Override
Professional operators maintain full override capability at all times. Manual intervention takes precedence over automated control decisions. The system is designed to assist, not replace, human judgment.
Related Systems
System Integration
Adaptive control is one component of Helixa's integrated architecture. Explore how subsystems work together to enable supervised automation.
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