Co-Design and Experimental Validation of a Gyroscopic Stabilizer for Powered Two-Wheelers

Roll dynamics of powered two-wheelers (PTWs) are unstable at low speed, and their active control could improve both safety and comfort. This article proposes the co-design of a stabilization system based on control momentum gyroscopes, which, with their compact package and low power request, are a fascinating option in particular for PTW, where onboard energy and size constraints make the design of a proper roll torque actuator challenging. The joint design of the actuator and its control law is proposed by defining a multiobjective optimization problem, which also turns into a tool that allows the designer to steer the parameters choice in different directions. The resulting prototype is manufactured, installed on a motorcycle, tested, and experimentally validated in several conditions.