Six contributors from Japanese universities explore the basic theory and methodology of control and decision making in systems that either contain many variables or have some special characteristics such as multiple subsystems or control stations, a decentralized and/or hierarchical information stru

In its thousands of years of history, mathematics has made an extraordinary ca reer. It started from rules for bookkeeping and computation of areas to become the language of science. Its potential for decision support was fully recognized in the twentieth century only, vitally aided by the evolution of computing and communi cation technology. Mathematical optimization, in particular, has developed into a powerful machinery to help planners. Whether costs are to be reduced, profits to be maximized, or scarce resources to be used wisely, optimization methods are available to guide decision making. Opti mization is particularly strong if precise models of real phenomena and data of high quality are at hand - often yielding reliable automated control and decision proce dures. But what, if the models are soft and not all data are around? Can mathematics help as well? This book addresses such issues, e. g. , problems of the following type: - An elevator cannot know all transportation requests in advance. In which order should it serve the passengers? - Wing profiles of aircrafts influence the fuel consumption. Is it possible to con tinuously adapt the shape of a wing during the flight under rapidly changing conditions? - Robots are designed to accomplish specific tasks as efficiently as possible. But what if a robot navigates in an unknown environment? - Energy demand changes quickly and is not easily predictable over time. Some types of power plants can only react slowly.

The control of power systems and power plants is a subject of worldwide interest which continues to sustain a high level of research, development and application in many diverse yet complementary areas. Papers pertaining to 13 areas directly related to power systems and representing state-of-the-art methods are included in this volume. The topics covered include linear and nonlinear optimization, static and dynamic state estimation, security analysis, generation control, excitation and voltage control, power plant modelling and control, stability analysis, emergency and restorative controls, large-scale sparse matrix techniques, data communication, microcomputer systems, power system stabilizers, load forecasting, optimum generation scheduling and power system control centers. The compilation of this information in one volume makes it essential reading for a comprehension of the current knowledge in the field of power control.

This volume investigates simulation and computer-aided control system designs. The book covers the use of models and program packages, their theoretical aspects and practical applications, and uses illustrative case studies to give a comprehensive view of this fast developing science.

This volume investigates developments in, and management of, transportation systems, future trends and what effects these will have on society. The book studies transportation systems planning; traffic problems and the issue of conservation; the use of logistics, and the role of computers and robotics in traffic control.