These proceedings contain the papers presented at the 5th IFAC Symposium on Automated Systems Based on Human Skill, held in Berlin, Germany, 26-28 September 1995. The symposium, like previous ones in the series, brought together researchers, developers and users of complex human-machine systems. Discussions covered manufacturing, process control, aircraft and air traffic control, and administrative processes with an emphasis on how to design such systems and integrate both developers and users into the design process. The main issues addressed, therefore, were the joint engineering of production processes, information technology and work organisation and the possibility that this may lead to the re-definition of human operators in process automation.

Paperback. These proceedings contain the papers presented at the 6th IFAC Symposium on Automated Systems Based on Human Skill (Joint Design of Technology and Organisation) held in Kranjska gora, Slovenia. The symposium theme was split into two different industry-oriented workshops. Production 2000 was an international event with the emphasis on the most recent developments in German industry. East meets West was an international gathering exchanging experiences among the different countries from Eastern Europe and the Western countries.

This Proceedings contains the papers presented at the IFAC Symposium on Automated systems based on human skill held in Aachen, Germany on 15 - 17 June, 2000. Following the previous six Symposia of the same name, the 7th Symposium brought together researchers, developers and users of control and information systems. The areas of discussion were: -the role of the individual human operator at the work place (human-machine interaction and mental models, skills, motivation, health and satisfaction, creativity in problem-solving and design, quality of working life, safety, responsibility and blame -work-groups supported by technology (human communication and co-operation, participation in decision processes, decision-support systems) -networks of groups and enterprises, (supporting networks of information, control and transportation systems, computer-supported co-operative work, modelling of enterprises) -the impact of control and information technology on society and the natural environment (issues of national strategies, employment and qualification, change, education and re-learning, the roles of trade unions, gender issues, medicine, culture, conviviality and ethics) -the Control Challenge in the 21st Century Emphasis of several discussions was on regional development in view of the global challenges. Furthermore the symbiosis of automation and information technology with art and craft enriched the symposium through the contributions of different artists.

Focusing the impact of automation on the human, this symposium aims to arrange a solution-oriented meeting between international scientists, application specialists, and industrial experts. The topics include: Human-centred and participatory design; Adaptive and dynamic automation; levels of automation; automation in working life; and others.

Hardbound. This symposium brought together end-users, managers and designers to examine and discuss the interaction between automated systems and related technologies and those working with them. It is increasingly clear that the optimum method to implement modern production processes is to involve all participants in the systems paying particular attention to the needs and abilities of end users and machine operators. The papers in this volume represent progress towards the goal of an increase in the efficiency of technology and the workforce and the realization of a skill based system of manufacturing, process and clerical work.

Rapid One-of-a-kind Product Development discusses research in the development of new enabling technologies for small and medium companies. Scientific advancements presented include a novel product data modelling scheme to model product design, manufacturability and knowledge under a common data object; customised product development in a distributed environment; and new adaptive scheduling methods for the optimal production of a wide variety of customised products, taking into consideration all of the possible changes from customers and the uncertainties in manufacturing. The book also includes research towards a computer aided customer interface, which allows customer requirements and changes to be processed and integrated with technical designs in real time; adaptive and concurrent CAD methods and algorithms; and product modelling and system integration technologies. The reader will learn how to: • translate customer requirements to technical attributes; • develop new and innovative products to meet customer requirements and expectations; • evaluate and optimise a project design; • design production systems and use them efficiently; and • manage a variety of customised products. Rapid One-of-a-kind Product Development demonstrates how to develop new methods, tools and algorithms to address the problems in a mass customisation environment. It is a valuable source of information for researchers and engineers in the fields of design and manufacturing.

The design of knowledge systems is finding myriad applications from corporate databases to general decision support in areas as diverse as engineering, manufacturing and other industrial processes, medicine, business, and economics. In engineering, for example, knowledge bases can be utilized for reliable electric power system operation. In medicine they support complex diagnoses, while in business they inform the process of strategic planning. Programmed securities trading and the defeat of chess champion Kasparov by IBM's Big Blue are two familiar examples of dedicated knowledge bases in combination with an expert system for decision-making.With volumes covering "Implementation," "Optimization," "Computer Techniques," and "Systems and Applications," this comprehensive set constitutes a unique reference source for students, practitioners, and researchers in computer science, engineering, and the broad range of applications areas for knowledge-based systems.