Computer science as an academic discipline began in the 1960’s. Emphasis was on
programming languages, compilers, operating systems, and the mathematical theory that
supported these areas. Courses in theoretical computer science covered finite automata,
regular expressions, context-free languages, and computability. In the 1970’s, the study
of algorithms was added as an important component of theory. The emphasis was on
making computers useful. Today, a fundamental change is taking place and the focus is
more on a wealth of applications. There are many reasons for this change. The merging
of computing and communications has played an important role. The enhanced ability
to observe, collect, and store data in the natural sciences, in commerce, and in other
fields calls for a change in our understanding of data and how to handle it in the modern
setting. The emergence of the web and social networks as central aspects of daily life
presents both opportunities and challenges for theory.
This texts contemporary approach focuses on the concepts of linear control systems, rather than computational mechanics. Straightforward coverage includes an integrated treatment of both classical and modern control system methods. The text emphasizes design with discussions of problem formulation, design criteria, physical constraints, several design methods, and implementation of compensators.Discussions of topics not found in other texts--such as pole placement, model matching and robust tracking--add to the texts cutting-edge presentation. Students will appreciate the applications and discussions of practical aspects, including the leading problem in developing block diagrams, noise, disturbances, and plant perturbations. State feedback and state estimators are designed using state variable equations and transfer functions, offering a comparison of the two approaches. The incorporation of MATLAB throughout the text helps students to avoid time-consuming computation and concentrate on control system design and analysis
