Introduction

Feedback control systems encountered in business and economy may involve teams of humans as main decision makers, e.g., managers, bureaucrats, and/or politicians. In general, feedback control theory deals with dynamical systems, i.e., systems with internal memory. Depending on the operating conditions, input/output relation can be best described by linear or nonlinear, partial or ordinary differential equations. The robotic examples show that a mathematical model can be linear or nonlinear, finite dimensional or infinite dimensional. This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book explains modeling issues and sources of uncertainty are studied and the main reason to use feedback. It gives basic stability tests. The book covers single parameter controller design. It discusses simple lead-lag and PID controller design methods. The book introduces Loopshaping ideas.