Special Session for Students on The Cross-Boundary Nature of Control, its Beauty and Power
| Monday, June 27, 2005 |
| The purpose of the Session is "To promote
an increased awareness among students and teachers of the importance and
cross-boundary nature of control and systems technology." This
Special Session will bring together college students, both undergraduate
and graduate, invited high school teachers and high school students, faculty
and practitioners.
The program includes lectures and presentations, research posters, hands-on projects, formal and informal discussions with all levels representatives of academia and the industry control community. |
| Organizer: IEEE CSS Committee on
Control Education Chair: Bozenna Pasik-Duncan, University of Kansas, USA Co-Chair: Charalambos D. Charalambous, University of Cyprus |
PROGRAM |
| The Power of Feedback |
| Theodore E. Djaferis Professor and Associate Dean of Engineering University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA |
| Abstract: Automatic control is a fascinating field of study. The theory and practices developed over the years can be applied to a wide range of automation problems, giving the field its universal character. Automatic control is truly multidisciplinary as problems frequently involve a number of disciplines. In this talk we shall explore the use of feedback in automatic control applications. Rather than talking in broad terms we will introduce the subject by considering a specific example - an automatic control system for vehicle collision avoidance. This will lead to a better understanding of the different pieces involved in the automatic control puzzle and the process used to solve problems. |
| When Computers Control: Joys and Perils of Automation |
| Christos G. Cassandras Professor of Manufacturing Engineering, and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Boston University, USA |
| Abstract: The purpose of the presentation is to demonstrate the pervasive role of feedback in both physical and human-made systems, thus motivating "automatic control". The presentation also tries to show the pitfalls of automation, when it's not done quite right, thus introducing basic challenges in environments ranging from manufacturing to communication networks and transportation. Computer simulation and a LEGO-based mini-car factory are presented as examples of educational tools for teaching the principles and challenges of automatic control. |
| The Quest for Autonomy: From Water Clocks to Autonomous Vehicles |
| Panos Antsaklis Professor of Electrical Engineering Director of Center for Applied Mathematics University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA |
| Abstract: Humankind has always been striving for building machines that can do more things by themselves, machines that have higher degrees of autonomy. We will trace the history of this quest, starting from the early days in the Mediterranean, and will discuss some of the fundamental ideas and important breakthroughs that made progress possible. We will use plenty of pictures to illustrate. |
| Teaching System-level Thinking at the Undergraduate Level: A Proposal for Fundamental Changes in Systems, Control, Communication and Computing Instruction |
| John S. Baras Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Computer Science Department and the Institute for Systems Research University of Maryland, College Park, USA |
| Abstract: Over the last decade it
has become increasingly clear that engineering education must address
systems aspects; what is called often "holistic" engineering
vs the current discipline driven and fragmented teaching of fundamental
engineering. Several influential reports have appeared world-wide documenting
the need and calling for reform. In addition to deep intellectual and
pedagogical reasons there are increasing requirements from industry and
real-life engineering that mandate a re-examination of undergraduate engineering
teaching from a systems perspective. In this presentation I will describe
our current effort at the University of Maryland to address this challenge.
Our effort is based on three fundamental observations/facts: (i) All disciplines
and components in engineering should be taught with reference to a larger
system where the component will lie or where a specific discipline will
interact with other disciplines; (ii) The analytical side of engineering
teaching should be enlarged so as to encompass calculus and logic-computation
in a more balanced manner; (iii) Laboratory and design work emphasizing
systems aspects should start as early as possible and be included in as
many courses as possible. As a first step towards accomplishing the required
change we are proposing the development of three undergraduate courses
that will be taught across all engineering disciplines at the sophomore-junior
level and will be supported by Laboratory design and experimentation work
in teams. The three courses are: (1) Systems modeling, including conventional difference and differential equations models but also (and in a balanced manner) object oriented system models, extended finite state machines and logic models (including programs and simulations as models); (2) Measurements and signals semantics and processing including mixed numerical and symbolic signals and algorithms, as well as initiation to statistical and logic processing methods; (3) Optimization, requirements and trade-offs, feedback, including introduction to design and systems engineering, as well as introduction of a unified view of optimization and logic (or constrained) programming. I will present evidence supporting my claim that without a serious attempt to re-unify engineering fundamentals along these lines the current defficiencies will get amplified and lead to even greater fragmentation in the teaching of fundamentals. The consequences of delaying such a reform are predicted to be grave for both R&D engineering practice as well as for typical professional industry engineering practice. |
| Random Walk Around Some Stochastic Control Problems in Telecommunication, Finance and Medicine |
| Bozenna Pasik-Duncan*, Dominique Duncan**, Ian Lewis***,Yannis
Zachariou*** *Professor of Mathematics and Information and Telecommunication Technology University of Kansas , Lawrence, Kansas , USA **Student of Mathematics, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA *** Students of Physics and Mathematics, University of Kansas, USA |
| Abstract: The modern world is full of randomness and noise ( Can we ignore noise?). The lecture will focus on modeling different types of noise in systems. We will take a random walk around some stochastic adaptive control problems in telecommunication and finance industries as well as in medicine. We will observe that the real world problems become more and more complex and have generated the need for development of new exciting stochastic calculus. We will conclude that the partnership of mathematics and control engineering, and collaborative effort in research are necessary for a success in solving these problems. |
| Control of Epileptic Seizures using Brain Stimulation |
| Ivan Osorio, M.D. -Associate Professor of Comprehensive
Epilepsy Center, Kansas University Medical Center and Mark G. Frei, Ph.D. - Managing Director / Technical Director, Flint Hills Scientific, L.L.C. |
| Abstract: The poster/presentation will illustrate the application of principles from signal analysis and closed-loop adaptive control theory to attempt to solve the disabling medical problem of epilepsy. In this study, epileptic seizures are detected and these detections are used to trigger electrical brain stimulation which is shown to have a beneficial effect on seizure frequency and severity |
| Turning a Dollar into Billions |
| Shane M. Haas Vice President and Research Scientist The AlphaSimplex Group, Cambridge USA |
| Abstract: Have you ever wondered how much money you could make if you could read tomorrow’s newspaper today? In this talk, we will discuss investing in stock and bond markets. In particular, we will examine what would happen if you had the ability to time the markets perfectly. We will show that perfect market timing can easily turn a single dollar into billions. |
| Panel Discussion through interaction with the audience. |
| Is control international? Do we teach and learn control and its applications the same way in Cyprus as in US? |
| Moderators: Bozenna Pasik-Duncan
and Charalambos D. Charalambous Panelists: Speakers together with Students from US and from Cyprus |