A Real-Time Hardware-in-the-Loop System Incorporating Software Defined Radios for Emulating Multi-Sensor Networked Control Systems

This brief presents a development of a real-time hardware-in-the-loop system using software-defined radios to emulate multi-sensor networked control systems (NCS) under real-world conditions. Also, a dedicated estimation algorithm for NCS using binary phase shift keying modulation, addressing signal-to-noise ratio constraints and channel characteristics from a sensor fusion perspective is addressed. This system supports remote placement of modules like sensors, estimators, and controllers interconnected via wireless channels, enabling distributed operation. This study experimentally evaluates two scenarios: one involving a single measurement and the other utilizing a fusion-based approach. The proposed system, acting as a testbed helps in system evaluation before deployment.