Developments in Control Theory Towards Glocal Control

Abstract

Glocal control, a term coined by Professor Shinji Hara at The University of Tokyo, represents a new framework for studying behaviour of complex dynamical systems from a feedback control perspective. A large number of dynamical components can be interconnected and interact with each other to form an integrated system with certain functionalities. Such complex systems are found in nature and have been created by man, including gene regulatory networks, neuronal circuits for memory, decision making, and motor control, bird flocking, global climate dynamics, central processing units for computers, electrical power grids, the World Wide Web, and financial markets. A common feature of these systems is that a global property or function emerges as a result of local, distributed, dynamical interactions of components. The objective of 'glocal' (global + local) control is to understand the mechanisms underlying this feature, analyze existing complex systems, and to design and create innovative systems with new functionalities. This book is dedicated to Professor Shinji Hara on the occasion of his 60th birthday, collecting the latest results by leading experts in control theories to lay a solid foundation towards the establishment of glocal control theory in the coming decades.