Additional information
by Pedro Albertos (Author), Iven Mareels (Author)
Vertrouwen hebben is goed, in controle zijn is beter Confidence is good, but to be in control is better La confianza est bien, pero el control es mejor... La informaci n suele ser buena, la realimentaci n es esencial Information is important but feedback is essential Informatie is belangrijk, maar feedback is essentieel Our journey to write a general introduction to control and feedback started with the realisation that in our chosen field of study the proponents have taken little time to project the main ideas outside the community of the initiated. We are constantly - minded of the fact that there is no general awareness of control engineering, or c- trol technology, despite its ubiquity when we try to introduce ourselves as control engineers. Invariably this leads to A what engineer? response. We suspect that most control engineers do not even try to introduce themselves as such. It certainly is a poor communication starter. Colleagues, friends, collaborators often ask rather natural questions like So, what do you study in control? Is there a non-specialist introduction to the field? Can I read something to get a feel about this field of systems theory? What questions do you try to answer? What are the key results? In reply we can point to a wealth of technical lite- ture, rooted in mathematics, quite acceptable to some engineers or mathematics gra- ates, but rather too formidable a hurdle for most.
Back Jacket
This well structured, intriguing and motivating book presents the basic ideas and understanding of control, signals and systems for readers interested in engineering and science. Through a series of examples that are regularly revisited from different perspectives, the book explores both the theory and the practice of control."Feedback and Control for Everyone" is indeed intended for everyone, but more specifically everyone interested in getting a feel for the role control and feedback play in our environment. Control and feedback are pervasive and are literally found everywhere in our engineered or biological environment.
The book focuses on the main ideas and opens the scientific mind to feedback, control and systems dynamics. The exposition of ideas does not assume any mathematical knowledge beyond what typically is taught at an intermediate mathematics level at high school. Appealing to examples and intuition, the authors guide the reader to the essential ingredients to describe, analyze and synthesize successfully feedback. Each chapter ends with comments and references that enable the interested reader to explore the exposed subject material in a deeper manner.
"Feedback and Control for Everyone" is written for:
* understanding basic concepts on systems dynamics and control
* realizing the strong connection between technical and human/social dynamics
* motivating further reading and study about control systems
* showing the power of abstraction to infer properties of complex systems based on simplified mathematical models
* emphasizing the interplay between communication, computers and control in this Digital Era
* creating bridges among different sciences and technologies such as engineering, physics, biology, biochemistry, or systems dynamics.
Credits: the Cover Illustration and Heading chapters were designed by Arturo Mora (www.cut-out.es)
Author Biography
Pedro Albertos was IFAC president 1999-2002.
Iven Mareels is EiC of Systems&Control Letters, Elsevier.
Credits: the Cover Illustration and Heading chapters were designed by Arturo Mora (www.cut-out.es)
