Step 3 of our Cruise Control. Adding the Derivative.
Channel: Gary Fox
Date: 11/05/2013

This is the last of a series of four videos.  The purpose of these videos is to show how a common form of feedback controllers work, but more importantly to show "all that crap I learned in math class" is really useful and used on a daily basis.  The PI controller in the previous video did a good job, but of course we can't leave good enough alone.  We are going to add a second calculus function called derivative to the control.  The derivative is not a lot of help and often is not included in controllers.

The complete four series introduced calculus, not in the theoretical method taught in most math classes, but from a usefulness perspective.   

This shows building a math model using simple spreadsheet software.  If your computer does not have a spreadsheet I also show where you can download a very good open-source one, LibreCalc, part of LibreOffice.

The LibreOffice web site is located at:  http://www.libreoffice.org/

The spreadsheet I use in this video can be downloaded on my blog in a post that also describes the same thing as shown in this video.  I designed this spreadsheet very flexible and you can do other experiments like dropping a big engine in your car so this also has a instruction pdf that can be downloaded.  I titled that post "Piddling with the PID controller."    http://create-and-make.com/piddling-with-the-pid-controller/

All material in this video was created by me and is copyrighted.  It is licensed for sharing through the Share and Share Alike with Attribution License.  All I ask is that you link my website,

Enjoy!