Fall 2026 · George Washington University

MAE 4182

Electromechanical
Control System Design

From physical systems to mathematical models, then to controllers whose stability, performance, and robustness can be checked and defended.

Meetings: Mon / Wed · 11:10 AM–12:25 PM
Room: TOMP 201
Instructor: Prof. Chuchu Chen
GTA: Ruijie Li

Student guide

How to use this website

Use the course calendar as your starting point for every class.

Go to the calendar

01
Open a lecture from the calendar
Choose a blue lecture card below. Every lecture has its own access code, shared in class or through Blackboard.
02
Choose the mode you need
In Lecture Mode, use ← / → to move and Space to reveal. Use Reading Mode for continuous notes after class.
03
Interact and review
Try the sliders, diagrams, videos, and practice questions. Practice responses are not graded or saved; use Blackboard for assessments, submissions, feedback, and grades.

Lecture access codesEach code unlocks only its matching lecture for the current browser session. Codes are shared in class and through Blackboard—not posted on this public page.

Official course system

Blackboard

Use Blackboard for course announcements, lecture access codes, assessments, submissions, feedback, exam information, and grades.

Open MAE 4182 in Blackboard

Professor Chen strongly recommends · Featured documentary

The Thinking Game

A documentary about the people, uncertainty, and persistence behind Google DeepMind—and a question that connects directly to this course: after an intelligent system chooses an action, how does the real body respond?

Posted after class · Paper diagnostic

In-class Diagnostic · Answers & Explanations

Review all 15 prerequisite questions, the correct choices, detailed reasoning, and why each alternative is not correct.

Review the diagnostic

Classes Aug 24–Dec 9, 2026 · Final exam Dec 14

Course calendar

Lecture availableExamNo class

W01

Aug 24–26

Lecture 01 — Introduction, dynamic systems, and feedback control

Lecture 01 · Classroom code required

Lecture 02 — Laplace transform: from differential equations to algebra

Lecture 02 · Classroom code required

W02

Aug 31–Sep 2

Lecture 02 continued — Laplace transform and the real-system bridge

Continue Lecture 02 · Classroom code required

WEDSep 2

Lecture 03 — System modeling: state, equilibrium, linearization, and transfer functions

Codex Vibe Lab + Lecture 03

Codex Vibe Lab · Open activity Lecture 03 · Classroom code required

W03

Sep 7–9

MONSep 7

No class — Labor Day

Lecture 04 — Block diagrams and feedback connections

Lecture code required

W04

Sep 14–16

Lecture 05 — Stability: BIBO, asymptotic stability, and poles

Lecture code required

Lecture 06 — First-order response and time constant

Lecture code required

W05

Sep 21–23

MONSep 21

Lectures 07–08 — Second-order response, damping, and time-domain specifications

Two lecture pages from this class meeting

Lecture 07 · Second-order motion Lecture 08 · Time-domain specifications

WEDSep 23

Exam 1

Written exam · 25%

W06

Sep 28–30

Lecture 09 — Routh stability criterion I

Lecture code required

Lecture 10 — Routh stability criterion II

Lecture code required

W07

Oct 5–7

Lecture 11 — Steady-state error and system type

Lecture code required

Lecture 12 — Root locus I: conditions and construction

Lecture code required

W08

Oct 12–14

MONOct 12

No class — Fall Break

Lecture 13 — Root locus II and Exam 2 review

Lecture code required

W09

Oct 19–21

MONOct 19

Exam 2

Written exam · 25%

Lecture 14 — Frequency response

Lecture code required

W10

Oct 26–28

Lecture 15 — Bode plot fundamentals

Lecture code required

Lecture 16 — Bode plot examples

Lecture code required

W11

Nov 2–4

Lecture 17 — Frequency-domain specifications and steady-state error from Bode plots

Lecture code required

Lecture 18 — Relative stability: gain margin, phase margin, and Exam 3 review

Lecture code required

W12

Nov 9–11

MONNov 9

Exam 3

Written exam · 25%

Lecture 19 — Control-system design: preliminary example

Lecture code required

W13

Nov 16–18

Lecture 20 — Time-domain design with P and PD control

Lecture code required

Lecture 21 — Time-domain design with PI and PID control

Lecture code required

W14

Nov 23–25

MONNov 23

No class — Thanksgiving Break

WEDNov 25

No class — Thanksgiving Break

W15

Nov 30–Dec 2

Lecture 22 — Frequency-domain controller design

Lecture code required

Lecture 23 — State-space control and LQR

Lecture code required

W16

Dec 7–9

Lecture 24 — Kalman filter

Lecture code required

Lecture 25 — Course synthesis and Exam 4 review

Lecture code required

W17

Dec 14

MONDec 14

Exam 4

Written exam · 25% · 10:20 AM–12:20 PM · Location TBD