The introduction of the microprocessor in computer and system engineering has motivated the development of many new concepts and has simplified the design of many modern industrial systems. During the first decade of their life. microprocessors have shown a tremendous evolution in all possible directions (technology. power. functionality. I/O handling. etc). Of course putting the microprocessors and their environmental devices into properly operating systems is a complex and difficult task requiring high skills for melding and integrating hardware. and systemic components. software This book was motivated by the editors' feeling that a cohesive reference is needed providing a good coverage of modern industrial applications of microprocessor-based real time control, together with latest advanced methodological issues. Unavoidably a single volume cannot be exhaustive. but the present book contains a sufficient number of important real-time applications. The book is divided in two sections. Section I deals with general hardware. software and systemic topics. and involves six chapters. Chapter 1. by Gupta and Toong. presents an overview of the development of microprocessors during their first twelve years of existence. Chapter 2. by Dasgupta. deals with a number of system software concepts for real time microprocessor-based systems (task scheduling. memory management. input-output aspects. programming language reqUirements.

This book presents a detailed and up-to-date exposition of fault monitoring methods in industrial processes and structures. The following approaches are explained in considerable detail: Model-based methods (simple tests, analytical redundancy, parameter estimation); knowledge-based methods; artificial neural network methods; and nondestructive testing, etc. Each approach is complemented by specific case studies from various industrial sectors (aerospace, chemical, nuclear, etc.), thus bridging theory and practice. This volume will be a valuable tool in the hands of professional and academic engineers. It can also be recommended as a supplementary postgraduate textbook. For scientists whose work involves automatic process control and supervision, statistical process control, applied statistics, quality control, computer-assisted predictive maintenance and plant monitoring, and structural reliability and safety.

Control engineering seeks to understand physical systems, using mathematical modeling, in terms of inputs, outputs and various components with different behaviors. It has an essential role in a wide range of control systems, from household appliances to space flight. This book provides an in-depth view of the technologies that are implemented in most varieties of modern industrial control engineering. A solid grounding is provided in traditional control techniques, followed by detailed examination of modern control techniques such as real-time, distributed, robotic, embedded, computer and wireless control technologies. For each technology, the book discusses its full profile, from the field layer and the control layer to the operator layer. It also includes all the interfaces in industrial control systems: between controllers and systems; between different layers; and between operators and systems. It not only describes the details of both real-time operating systems and distributed operating systems, but also provides coverage of the microprocessor boot code, which other books lack. In addition to working principles and operation mechanisms, this book emphasizes the practical issues of components, devices and hardware circuits, giving the specification parameters, install procedures, calibration and configuration methodologies needed for engineers to put the theory into practice. - Documents all the key technologies of a wide range of industrial control systems - Emphasizes practical application and methods alongside theory and principles - An ideal reference for practicing engineers needing to further their understanding of the latest industrial control concepts and techniques

An essential core text, this volume develops theoretical foundations and explains how control systems work in real industrial situations. Several case histories assist students in visualizing applications. 1992 edition.

This collection of twenty-three timely contributions covers a well-selected repertory of topics within the autonomous systems field. The book discusses a range of design, construction, control, and operation problems along with a multiplicity of well-established and novel solutions.

A famous French writer, Anatole France, liked to say, "The future is a convenient place to position our dreams" (1927). Indeed, this remark gains full meaning when one considers the history of what we call today "Robotics." For more than 3000 years, mankind has dreamt ofthe possibility of arti ficial machines that would have all the advantages of human slaves without any of their drawbacks. With the developments in technology since the end of World War II, mainly with the explosive progress of computers, it was thought we might at last succeed in transforming this everlasting dream into reality. In the mind of scientists of the 1950's, to make such intelligent and autonomous machines before the year 2000 seemed a small challenge: it was obvious, thanks to computers and Artificial Intelligence. But, in spite of progress in some directions, we must admit that the dream remains a dream and that the basic problems denying us a successful issue are not solved. In fact, if we except industrial robots, only calling for classical automata theory, the main advanced result concerning autonomous and intelligent machines is related to some understanding of reasons why we have failed during the past years.

Intelligent Systems involve a large class of systems which posses human-like capabilities such as learning, observation, perception, interpretation, reasoning under uncertainty, planning in known and unknown environments, decision making, and control action. The field of intelligent systems is actually a new interdisciplinary field which is the outcome of the interaction, cooperation and synergetic merging of classical fields such as system theory, control theory, artificial intelligence, information theory, operational research, soft computing, communications, linguistic theory, and others. Integrated intelligent decision and control systems involve three primary hierarchical levels, namely organization, coordination and execution levels. As we proceed from the be performed organization to the execution level, the precision about the jobs to increases and accordingly the intelligence required for these jobs decreases. This is in compliance with the principle of increasing precision with decreasing intelligence (IPOI) known from the management field and theoretically established by Saridis using information theory concepts. This book is concerned with intelligent systems and techniques and gives emphasis on the computational and processing issues. Control issues are not included here. The contributions of the book are presented in four parts as follows.