Systems and Control
Broad in scope, this text shows the multidisciplinary role of dynamics and control, presents neural networks, fuzzy systems, and genetic algorithms, and provides a self-contained introduction to chaotic systems.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Systems and Control
Chapter 1: Dynamical Systems and Modeling
To catch a mouse alive, try this trick: When you see the beast running around a room, open a black umbrella and hold it on the floor at an angle that allows the mouse to run in (it helps if someone else can chase the mouse). Your prey, drawn to dark places, will probably head straight for the umbrella. Then quickly close it, go outside, and set your prisoner free.
Reader's Digest Practical Problem Solver [241]
1.1 What Is a System?
A system is a collection of interacting components. An electric motor, an airplane, and a biological unit such as the human arm are examples of systems. A system is characterized by two properties, which are as follows:
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The interrelations between the components that are contained within the system
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The system boundaries that separate the components within the system from the components outside
The system boundaries can be real or imagined. They are elastic in the sense that we may choose, at any stage of the system analysis, to consider only a part of the original system as a system on its own. We call it a subsystem of the original system. On the other hand, we may decide to expand the boundaries of the original system to include new components. In Figure 1.1, we represent a system's boundaries using a box. The interactions between the system components may be governed, for example, by physical, biological, or economical laws. In dealing with systems, we are interested...
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