A two-wheeled self-balancing robot (TWSBR) is non-linear and unstable system. This study compares the performance of model-based and data-based control strategies for TWSBRs, with an explicit practical educational approach. Model-based control (MBC) algorithms such as Lead-Lag and PID control require a proficient dynamic modeling and mathematical manipulation to drive the linearized equations of motions and develop the appropriate controller. On the other side, data-based control (DBC) methods, like fuzzy control, provide a simpler and quicker approach to designing effective controllers without needing in-depth understanding of the system model. In this paper, the advantages and disadvantages of both MBC and DBC using a TWSBR are illustrated. All controllers were implemented and tested on the OSOYOO self-balancing kit, including an Arduino microcontroller, MPU-6050 sensor, and DC motors. The control law and the user interface are constructed using the LabVIEW-LINX toolkit. A real-time hardware-in-loop experiment validates the results, highlighting controllers that can be implemented on a cost-effective platform.

Identifying which outlet in social media leads the rest in disseminating novel information on specific topics is an interesting challenge for information analysts and social scientists. In this work, we hypothesize that novel ideas are disseminated through the creation and propagation of new or newly emphasized key words, and therefore lead/lag of outlets can be estimated by tracking word usage across these outlets. First, we demonstrate the validaty of our hypothesis by showing that a simple TF-IDF based nearest-neighbors approach can recover generally accepted lead/lag behavior on the outlets pair of ACM journal articles and conference papers. Next, we build a new topic model called LeadLag LDA that estimates the lead/lag of the outlets on specific topics. We validate the topic model using the lead/lag results from the TF-IDF nearest neighbors approach. Finally, we present results from our model on two different outlet pairs of blogs vs. news media and grant proposals vs. research publications that reveal interesting patterns.