The book is the proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on NeuroRehabilitation (ICNR 2014), held 24th-26th June 2014 in Aalborg, Denmark. The conference featured the latest highlights in the emerging and interdisciplinary field of neural rehabilitation engineering and identified important healthcare challenges the scientific community will be faced with in the coming years. Edited and written by leading experts in the field, the book includes keynote papers, regular conference papers, and contributions to special and innovation sessions, covering the following main topics: neuro-rehabilitation applications and solutions for restoring impaired neurological functions; cutting-edge technologies and methods in neuro-rehabilitation; and translational challenges in neuro-rehabilitation. Thanks to its highly interdisciplinary approach, the book will not only be a highly relevant reference guide for academic researchers, engineers, neurophysiologists, neuroscientists, physicians and physiotherapists working at the forefront of their field, but will also help to act as bridge between the scientific, engineering and medical communities.

Proceedings of the 2015 Chinese Intelligent Automation Conference presents selected research papers from the CIAC'15, held in Fuzhou, China. The topics include adaptive control, fuzzy control, neural network based control, knowledge based control, hybrid intelligent control, learning control, evolutionary mechanism based control, multi-sensor integration, failure diagnosis, reconfigurable control, etc. Engineers and researchers from academia, industry and the government can gain valuable insights into interdisciplinary solutions in the field of intelligent automation.

The increased efficiency and quality constraints imposed on electrical energy systems have inspired a renewed research interest in the study of formal approaches to the analysis and control of power electronics converters. Switched systems represent a useful framework for modeling these converters and the peculiarities of their operating conditions and control goals justify the specific classification of "switched electronic systems". Indeed, idealized switched models of power converters introduce problems not commonly encountered when analyzing generic switched models or non-switched electrical networks. In that sense the analysis of switched electronic systems represents a source for new ideas and benchmarks for switched and hybrid systems generally. Dynamics and Control of Switched Electronic Systems draws on the expertise of an international group of expert contributors to give an overview of recent advances in the modeling, simulation and control of switched electronic systems. The reader is provided with a well-organized source of references and a mathematically-based report of the state of the art in analysis and design techniques for switched power converters. Intuitive language, realistic illustrative examples and numerical simulations help the reader to come to grips with the rigorous presentation of many promising directions of research such as: converter topologies and modulation techniques; continuous-time, discrete-time and hybrid models; modern control strategies for power converters; and challenges in numerical simulation. The guidance and information imparted in this text will be appreciated by engineers, and applied mathematicians working on system and circuit theory, control systems development, and electronic and energy conversion systems design.

Model-Based Control will be a collection of state-of-the-art contributions in the field of modelling, identification, robust control and optimization of dynamical systems, with particular attention to the application domains of motion control systems (high-accuracy positioning systems) and large scale industrial process control systems.The book will be directed to academic and industrial people involved in research in systems and control, industrial process control and mechatronics.

By the dawn of the new millennium, robotics has undergone a major transformation in scope and dimensions. This expansion has been brought about by the maturity of the field and the advances in its related technologies. From a largely dominant industrial focus, robotics has been rapidly expanding into the challenges of the human world. The new generation of robots is expected to safely and dependably co-habitat with humans in homes, workplaces, and communities, providing support in services, entertainment, education, healthcare, manufacturing, and assistance. Beyond its impact on physical robots, the body of knowledge robotics has produced is revealing a much wider range of applications reaching across diverse research areas and scientific disciplines, such as: biomechanics, haptics, neuros- ences, virtual simulation, animation, surgery, and sensor networks among others. In return, the challenges of the new emerging areas are proving an abundant source of stimulation and insights for the field of robotics. It is indeed at the intersection of disciplines that the most striking advances happen. The goal of the series of Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics (STAR) is to bring, in a timely fashion, the latest advances and developments in robotics on the basis of their significance and quality. It is our hope that the wider dissemination of research developments will stimulate more exchanges and collaborations among the research community and contribute to further advancement of this rapidly growing field.

This authored monograph presents a study on fundamental limits and robustness of stability and stabilization of time-delay systems, with an emphasis on time-varying delay, robust stabilization, and newly emerged areas such as networked control and multi-agent systems. The authors systematically develop an operator-theoretic approach that departs from both the traditional algebraic approach and the currently pervasive LMI solution methods. This approach is built on the classical small-gain theorem, which enables the author to draw upon powerful tools and techniques from robust control theory. The book contains motivating examples and presents mathematical key facts that are required in the subsequent sections. The target audience primarily comprises researchers and professionals in the field of control theory, but the book may also be beneficial for graduate students alike.

Algorithms are a fundamental component of robotic systems. Robot algorithms process inputs from sensors that provide noisy and partial data, build geometric and physical models of the world, plan high-and low-level actions at different time horizons, and execute these actions on actuators with limited precision. The design and analysis of robot algorithms raise a unique combination of questions from many elds, including control theory, computational geometry and topology, geometrical and physical modeling, reasoning under uncertainty, probabilistic algorithms, game theory, and theoretical computer science. The Workshop on Algorithmic Foundations of Robotics (WAFR) is a single-track meeting of leading researchers in the eld of robot algorithms. Since its inception in 1994, WAFR has been held every other year, and has provided one of the premiere venues for the publication of some of the eld's most important and lasting contributions. This books contains the proceedings of the tenth WAFR, held on June 13{15 2012 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The 37 papers included in this book cover a broad range of topics, from fundamental theoretical issues in robot motion planning, control, and perception, to novel applications.

This book is a part of the Proceedings of the Seventh International Symposium on Neural Networks (ISNN 2010), held on June 6-9, 2010 in Shanghai, China. Over the past few years, ISNN has matured into a well-established premier international symposium on neural networks and related fields, with a successful sequence of ISNN series in Dalian (2004), Chongqing (2005), Chengdu (2006), Nanjing (2007), Beijing (2008), and Wuhan (2009). Following the tradition of ISNN series, ISNN 2010 provided a high-level international forum for scientists, engineers, and educators to present the state-of-the-art research in neural networks and related fields, and also discuss the major opportunities and challenges of future neural network research. Over the past decades, the neural network community has witnessed significant breakthroughs and developments from all aspects of neural network research, including theoretical foundations, architectures, and network organizations, modeling and simulation, empirical studies, as well as a wide range of applications across different domains. The recent developments of science and technology, including neuroscience, computer science, cognitive science, nano-technologies and engineering design, among others, has provided significant new understandings and technological solutions to move the neural network research toward the development of complex, large scale, and networked brain-like intelligent systems. This long-term goals can only be achieved with the continuous efforts from the community to seriously investigate various issues on neural networks and related topics.

An autonomous sailboat robot is a boat that only uses the wind on its sail as propelling force, without remote control or human assistance to achieve its mission. This involves autonomy in energy (using batteries, solar panels, turbines...), sensor data processing (compass, GPS, wind sensor...), actuators control (rudder and sail angle control...) and decision making (embedded computer with adequate algorithms). Although robotic sailing is a relatively new field of research, several applications exist for this type of robots: oceanographic and hydrographic research, maritime environment monitoring, meteorology, harbor safety, assistance and rescue in dangerous areas...
Over the last decade, several events such as the Microtransat challenge, the WRSC/IRSC and SailBot have been set up to stimulate research and development around robotic sailing. These proceedings cover the current and future academic and technology challenges raised by the development of autonomous sailboat robots presented at the WRSC/IRSC (World Robotic Sailing Championship/International Robotic Sailing Conference) 2013, in Brest, France, 2-6 September 2013.

This monograph presents the state of the art in aeroservoelastic (ASE) modeling and analysis and develops a systematic theoretical and computational framework for use by researchers and practicing engineers. It is the first book to focus on the mathematical modeling of structural dynamics, unsteady aerodynamics, and control systems to evolve a generic procedure to be applied for ASE synthesis. Existing robust, nonlinear, and adaptive control methodology is applied and extended to some interesting ASE problems, such as transonic flutter and buffet, post-stall buffet and maneuvers, and flapping flexible wing. The author derives a general aeroservoelastic plant via the finite-element structural dynamic model, unsteady aerodynamic models for various regimes in the frequency domain, and the associated state-space model by rational function approximations. For more advanced models, the full-potential, Euler, and Navier-Stokes methods for treating transonic and separated flows are also briefly addressed. Essential ASE controller design and analysis techniques are introduced to the reader, and an introduction to robust control-law design methods of LQG/LTR and H2/H synthesis is followed by a brief coverage of nonlinear control techniques of describing functions and Lyapunov functions. Practical and realistic aeroservoelastic application examples derived from actual experiments are included throughout. Aeroservoelasiticity fills an important gap in the aerospace engineering literature and will be a valuable guide for graduate students and advanced researchers in aerospace engineering, as well as professional engineers, technicians, and test pilots in the aircraft industry and laboratories.

Unmanned marine vehicles (UMVs) is a collective term used to describe autonomous underwater vehicles, remotely operated vehicles, semi-submersibles, and unmanned surface craft. Considerable interest has been shown in UMVs by the military, civilian and scientific communities due to their ability to undertake designated missions whilst either operating autonomously and/or on co-operation with other types of vehicle. Increasing importance is also being placed on the design and development of such vehicles as they are capable of providing cost effective solutions to a number of littoral, coastal and offshore problems. This book draws attention to the advanced technology which is evolving to meet the challenges being posed in this exciting and growing field of study.

This book introduces a unique, packet-based co-design control framework for networked control systems. It begins by providing a comprehensive survey of state-of-the-art research on networked control systems, giving readers a general overview of the field. It then verifies the proposed control framework both theoretically and experimentally - the former using multiple control methodologies, and the latter using a unique online test rig for networked control systems. The framework investigates in detail the most common, communication constraints, including network-induced delays, data packet dropout, data packet disorders, and network access constraints, as well as multiple controller design and system analysis tools such as model predictive control, linear matrix inequalities and optimal control. This unique and complete co-design framework greatly benefits researchers, graduate students and engineers in the fields of control theory and engineering.

This book is devoted to Slime mould Physarum polycephalum, which is a large single cell capable for distributed sensing, concurrent information processing, parallel computation and decentralized actuation. The ease of culturing and experimenting with Physarum makes this slime mould an ideal substrate for real-world implementations of unconventional sensing and computing devices The book is a treatise of theoretical and experimental laboratory studies on sensing and computing properties of slime mould, and on the development of mathematical and logical theories of Physarum behavior. It is shown how to make logical gates and circuits, electronic devices (memristors, diodes, transistors, wires, chemical and tactile sensors) with the slime mould. The book demonstrates how to modify properties of Physarum computing circuits with functional nano-particles and polymers, to interface the slime mould with field-programmable arrays, and to use Physarum as a controller of microbial fuel cells. A unique multi-agent model of slime is shown to serve well as a software slime mould capable for solving problems of computational geometry and graph optimization. The multiagent model is complemented by cellular automata models with parallel accelerations. Presented mathematical models inspired by Physarum include non-quantum implementation of Shor's factorization, structural learning, computation of shortest path tree on dynamic graphs, supply chain network design, p-adic computing and syllogistic reasoning. The book is a unique composition of vibrant and lavishly illustrated essays which will inspire scientists, engineers and artists to exploit natural phenomena in designs of future and emergent computing and sensing devices. It is a 'bible' of experimental computing with spatially extended living substrates, it spanstopics from biology of slime mould, to bio-sensing, to unconventional computing devices and robotics, non-classical logics and music and arts.

In recent years, automation has played a vital role in library systems that handle tasks of acquisition, cataloging, serials, and circulation. The automation of these operations has, in turn, minimised the demand for human interaction. Robots in Academic Libraries: Advancements in Library Automation provides an overview on the current state of library automation, addresses the need for changing personnel to accommodate these changes, and assesses the future for academic libraries as a whole. This book is essential for library leaders, technology experts, and library vendors interested in the future of library automation and its impact on the decline of human interaction in libraries.

In a world suffering from an ageing population and declining birth rate, service robotics and mechatronics have an increasingly vital role to play in maintaining a safe and sustainable environment for everyone. Mechatronics can be used in the reconstruction or restoration of various environments which we rely upon to survive; for example the reconstruction of a city after an earthquake, or the restoration of polluted waters

This collection of papers was originally presented at the 7th International Conference on Machine Automation, 2008, in Awaji, Japan, and covers a variety of new trends in service robotics and mechatronics.

Service Robotics and Mechatronics showcases the latest research in the area to provide researchers and scientists with an up-to-date source of knowledge and basis for further study, as well as offering graduate students valuable reference material.

"Robotic Mapping and Exploration" is an important contribution in the area of simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) for autonomous robots, which has been receiving a great deal of attention by the research community in the latest few years. The contents are focused on the autonomous mapping learning problem. Solutions include uncertainty-driven exploration, active loop closing, coordination of multiple robots, learning and incorporating background knowledge, and dealing with dynamic environments. Results are accompanied by a rich set of experiments, revealing a promising outlook toward the application to a wide range of mobile robots and field settings, such as search and rescue, transportation tasks, or automated vacuum cleaning.

Optimal Control of Hybrid Vehicles provides a description of power train control for hybrid vehicles. The background, environmental motivation and control challenges associated with hybrid vehicles are introduced. The text includes mathematical models for all relevant components in the hybrid power train. The power split problem in hybrid power trains is formally described and several numerical solutions detailed, including dynamic programming and a novel solution for state-constrained optimal control problems based on the maximum principle. Real-time-implementable strategies that can approximate the optimal solution closely are dealt with in depth. Several approaches are discussed and compared, including a state-of-the-art strategy which is adaptive for vehicle conditions like velocity and mass. Three case studies are included in the book: * a control strategy for a micro-hybrid power train; * experimental results obtained with a real-time strategy implemented in a hybrid electric truck; and * an analysis of the optimal component sizes for a hybrid power train. Optimal Control of Hybrid Vehicles will appeal to academic researchers and graduate students interested in hybrid vehicle control or in the applications of optimal control. Practitioners working in the design of control systems for the automotive industry will also find the ideas propounded in this book of interest.

The second volume of this work continues the approach of the first volume, providing mathematical tools for the control engineer and examining such topics as random variables and sequences, iterative logarithmic and large number laws, differential equations, stochastic measurements and optimization, discrete martingales and probability space. It includes proofs of all theorems and contains many examples with solutions.
It is written for researchers, engineers and advanced students who wish to increase their familiarity with different topics of modern and classical mathematics related to system and automatic control theories. It also has applications to game theory, machine learning and intelligent systems.
* Provides comprehensive theory of matrices, real, complex and functional analysis
* Provides practical examples of modern optimization methods that can be effectively used in variety of real-world applications
* Contains worked proofs of all theorems and propositions presented

Case Studies in Control presents a framework to facilitate the use of advanced control concepts in real systems based on two decades of research and over 150 successful applications for industrial end-users from various backgrounds. In successive parts the text approaches the problem of putting the theory to work from both ends, theoretical and practical. The first part begins with a stress on solid control theory and the shaping of that theory to solve particular instances of practical problems. It emphasizes the need to establish by experiment whether a model-derived solution will perform properly in reality. The second part focuses on real industrial applications based on the needs and requirements of end-users. Here, the engineering approach is dominant but with theoretical input of varying degree depending on the particular process involved. Following the illustrations of the progress that can be made from either extreme of the well-known theory-practice divide, the text proceeds to a third part related to the development of tools that enable simpler use of advanced methods, a need only partially met by available commercial products. Each case study represents a self-contained unit that shows an experimental application of a particular method, a practical solution to an industrial problem or a toolkit that makes control design and implementation easier or more efficient. Among the applications presented are: wastewater treatment; manufacturing of electrical motors ; temperature control of blow moulding; burn-protective garments quality assessment; and rapid prototyping. Written by contributors with a considerable record of industrially-applied research, Case Studies in Control will encourage interaction between industrial practitioners and academic researchers and be of benefit to both, helping to make theory realistic and practical implementation more thorough and efficacious. Advances in Industrial Control aims to report and encourage the transfer of technology in control engineering. The rapid development of control technology has an impact on all areas of the control discipline. The series offers an opportunity for researchers to present an extended exposition of new work in all aspects of industrial control.

After two succesful conferences held in Innsbruck (Prof. Manfred Husty) in 2006 and Cassino in 2008 (Prof Marco Ceccarelli) with the participation of the most important well-known scientists from the European Mechanism Science Community, a further conference was held in Cluj Napoca, Romania, in 2010 (Prof. Doina Pisla) to discuss new developments in the field.

This book presents the most recent research advances in Mechanism Science with different applications. Amongst the topics treated are papers on Theoretical kinematics, Computational kinematics, Mechanism design, Mechanical transmissions, Linkages and manipulators, Mechanisms for biomechanics, Micro-mechanisms, Experimental mechanics, Mechanics of robots, Dynamics of multi-body systems, Dynamics of machinery, Control issues of mechanical systems, Novel designs, History of mechanism science etc.

Most of the research and experiments in the fields of modeling and control systems have spent significant efforts to find rules from various complicated phenomena by principles, observations, measured data, logic derivations. The rules are normally summarized as concise and quantitative expressions or "models". "Identification" provides mechanisms to establish the models and "control" provides mechanisms to improve system performances.This book reflects the relevant studies and applications in the area of renewable energies, with the latest research from interdisciplinary theoretical studies, computational algorithm development to exemplary applications. It discusses how modeling and control methods such as recurrent neural network, Pitch Angle Control, Fuzzy control, Sliding Mode Control and others are used in renewable systems. It covers topics as photovoltaic systems, wind turbines, maximum power point tracking, batteries for renewable energies, solar energy, thermal energy and so on. This book is edited and written by leading experts in the field and offers an ideal reference guide for researchers and engineers in the fields of electrical/electronic engineering, control system and energy.

"The mathematical investigations referred to bring the whole apparatus of a great science to the examination of the properties of a given mechanism, and have accumulated in this direction rich material, of enduring and increasing value. What is left unexamined is however the other, immensely deeper part of the problem, the question: How did the mechanism, or the elements of which it is composed, originate? What laws govern its building up? Is it indeed formed according to any laws whatever? Or have we simply to accept as data what invention gives us, the analysis of what is thus obtained being the only scientific problem left - as in the case of natural history?" Reuleaux, F., Theoretische Kinematik, Braunschweig: Vieweg, 1875 Reuleaux, F., The Kinematics of Machinery, London: Macmillan, 1876 and New York: Dover, 1963 (translated by A.B.W. Kennedy) This book represents the second part of a larger work dedicated to the structural synthesis of parallel robots. Part 1 already published in 2008 (Gogu 2008a) has presented the methodology proposed for structural synthesis. This book focuses on various topologies of translational parallel robots systematically generated by using the structural synthesis approach proposed in Part 1. The originality of this work resides in the fact that it combines the new formulae for mobility connectivity, redundancy and overconstraints, and the evolutionary morphology in a unified approach of structural synthesis giving interesting innovative solutions for parallel mechanisms.

The Multi-Agent Based Beam Search (MABBS) method systematically integrates four major requirements of manufacturing production - representation capability, solution quality, computation efficiency, and implementation difficulty - within a unified framework to deal with the many challenges of complex real-world production planning and scheduling problems. Multi-agent Based Beam Search for Real-time Production Scheduling and Control introduces this method, together with its software implementation and industrial applications. This book connects academic research with industrial practice, and develops a practical solution to production planning and scheduling problems. To simplify implementation, a reusable software platform is developed to build the MABBS method into a generic computation engine. This engine is integrated with a script language, called the Embedded Extensible Application Script Language (EXASL), to provide a flexible and straightforward approach to representing complex real-world problems. Adopting an in-depth yet engaging and clear approach, and avoiding confusing or complicated mathematics and formulas, this book presents simple heuristics and a user-friendly software platform for system modelling. The supporting industrial case studies provide key information for students, lecturers, and industry practitioners alike. Multi-agent Based Beam Search for Real-time Production Scheduling and Control offers insights into the complex nature of and a practical total solution to production planning and scheduling, and inspires further research and practice in this promising research area.

This book provides an essential overview of the authors' work in the field of cable-suspended parallel robots, focusing on innovative design, mechanics, control, development and applications. It presents and analyzes several typical mechanical architectures of cable-suspended parallel robots in practical applications, including the feed cable-suspended structure for super antennae, hybrid-driven-based cable-suspended parallel robots, and cooperative cable parallel manipulators for multiple mobile cranes. It also addresses the fundamental mechanics of cable-suspended parallel robots on the basis of their typical applications, including the kinematics, dynamics and trajectory tracking control of the feed cable-suspended structure for super antennae. In addition it proposes a novel hybrid-driven-based cable-suspended parallel robot that uses integrated mechanism design methods to improve the performance of traditional cable-suspended parallel robots. A comparative study on error and performance indices of hybrid-driven based and traditional cable-suspended parallel robots rounds out the coverage. This book addresses the needs of researchers, engineers and post-graduates in the field of cable-suspended parallel robots and related areas.