This Research Initiation Award funds a study of the modeling, simulation and control aspects on inherently nonlinear electromechanical systems which exhibit chaos. The research has both experimental and analytical components and emphasizes control strategies. Both active and passive control strategies will be developed to delineate regions of safe operation. Periodic excitations will be used as inputs to lock the system into an unstable periodic orbit representing chaotic response. Control schemes will then be used to stabilize the motion. The results should be applicable to dynamic systems such as printers and gear mechanisms with backlash.*** //
