Advances in Control Theory and Applications

This volume can be considered a direct outcome of the special scientific ?meetingin-the-fortress? on ?Advances in Control Theory and Applications? organized in Bertinoro, Italy, by the Centre of research on Complex Automated Systems(CASY), Department of Electronics Computer and Systems of the University of Bologna, during the week May 22?26, 2006. The inspiring idea of that workshop was to provide a forum for exchange of ideas between theory-oriented and application-oriented researchers working on various systems and control problems. The meeting offered an opportunity for formal presentations of research results as well as for informal discussions about ideas and problems, case-studies, limitations and potentials of existing and emerging theories. The main goal of the meeting was to facilitate cross-fertilization between different theoretical and applicative areas. Emphasis was put on identification of new theoretical developments and research directions, as needed by recent progresses in applications and problems which are still looking for a theoretical support and effective rigorous solutions. The technical programme consisted of twenty-five main lectures delivered by distinguished scholars and was complemented by a number of poster presentations prepared by post doctoral fellows and PhD students currently working at CASY. Out of the twenty five lectures given in Bertinoro, fifteen are reported here in written form.