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Issued patent

Precision Low Speed Motor Controller

An issued NASA patent from the Technology Transfer catalog.

View at technology.nasa.gov
Media from NASA Technology Transfer

About this technology

Overview

Innovators at the NASA Johnson Space Center have developed a method for controlling precise motion of a Brushless DC (BLDC) motor using relatively inexpensive components. Precision motors are usually quite expensive and inefficient when operating at slow speeds. This technology uses a method to control BLDC motors over a broad range of speeds, ranging from about 0.025 rpm to about 7000 rpm. Its ability to operate at these ranges and with high precision provides an opportunity to integrate this technology to many applications and industries. Commercial motors may employ this technology to extend their dynamic range. This technology can also be integrated into surgical robots that require advanced precision motion control systems. Hybrid and electrical vehicles can integrate this technology to their operating system to improve efficiencies.