Delta Motorsport (United Kingdom)

Increased forearm activity may reflect greater steering input or control effort, which, if optimised, could reduce cornering time and thereby improve lap performance. This proof-of-concept case study aimed to quantify forearm muscle activity during two test sessions, with data-driven driver feedback in between sessions to inform steering technique. One ex-professional European karting driver was recruited for this study. A 20 Hz GPS was mounted on the kart, and two electromyography sensors were attached to the left and right flexor digitorum superficialis. In session one, the driver completed 19 laps; EMG data from the fastest lap (51.99 s) were analysed and used to provide feedback. In session two, the driver completed 20 laps, achieving a best time of 51.60 s. EMG analysis revealed greater left forearm activity during left-hand corners in session one, shifting to greater right forearm activity during right-hand corners in session two. The 0.39 s improvement in lap time suggests that EMG-informed feedback may influence steering technique and enhance performance. These findings highlight the potential of integrating EMG analysis into driver coaching, particularly in training and qualifying contexts.

In this paper, we propose a real-time nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) strategy for stabilization of a vehicle near the limit of lateral acceleration using the rear axle electric torque vectoring configuration of an electric vehicle. A nonlinear four-wheel vehicle model that neglects the wheel dynamics is coupled with a nonlinear tire model to design three MPC strategies of different levels of complexity that are implementable online: one that uses a linearized version of the vehicle model and then solves the resulting quadratic program problem to compute the necessary longitudinal slips on the rear wheels, a second one that employs the real-time iteration scheme on the NMPC problem, and a third one that applies the primal dual interior point method on the NMPC problem instead until convergence. Then, a sliding mode slip controller is used to compute the necessary torques on the rear wheels based on the requested longitudinal slips. After analyzing the relative tradeoffs in performance and computational cost between the three MPC strategies by comparing them against the optimal solution in a series of simulation studies, we test the most promising solution in a high-fidelity environment.

SUMMARYHistorically, the origins of composite (or inclusion) electrodeposition can be traced back to the early 1900s although the majority of modern developments can be considered to have taken place over the last 40 years. The increasing demands of industrial surface engineering have provided a driving force for rapid developments over the last decade. Co-deposition techniques can be used to produce a wide range of metal matrix-included particle coatings.The thickness of the overall coating can range from sub-micron to tens of microns while the included particles typically have sizes in the range 0.05-50 microns. The metal matrices (which include Ni. Co, Cu, Pb and Cr) can be deposited by electroplating or by electroless plating; particles range from hard materials (e.g., SiC, WC, Al2O3. CrC and BN), to self-lubricating ones (e.g., PTFE, C, MoS2 and encapsulated oils) and second metal powder phases.These deposits combine the advantages of the metal matrix and the included particles. For example, the metal matrix can confer high electrical and thermal conductivity while the type and degree of inclusion can tailored to the tribological properties required. Important examples include Ni/SiC deposits for wear resistance and Ni/PTFE ones for their self-lubricating and anti-stick characteristics. More ambitious composite coatings include those where a semi-continuous release of the included particles occurs under service conditions, e.g., slow release of oil particles or PTFE fragments.This paper provides a concise review of the field of composite electrodeposition and highlights the importance of process control in obtaining critical deposit characteristics for a variety of demanding industrial applications. In order to achieve high quality deposits, it is essential to control the electrolyte composition and process conditions (e.g., electrolyte flow conditions, solution pH and organic additive levels). Existing theories cannot adequately predict the deposit composition and properties from knowledge of bath composition and process conditions and further work in this area is essential. Recent developments in composite coating technology are profiled, including the emergence of compositionally- and hydrodynamically modulated layer coatings, the possibility of slow release coatings for semi-continuous lubrication and modification of diffusion coatings by heat treatment.