ep1 - A brief prehistory of control theory

inControl

This episode breaks the ice with a bit of the pre-history of control theory. We discuss three iconic ancestors of the science of feedback, including water clocks developed by Ktesibios, the earliest known thermostat, and governors, a class of mechanical devices, which, without exaggeration, have enabled the first industrial Revolution in Britain.

Outline
00:00 -Intro
01:32 - Ktesibios
06:15 - Cornelis Drebble
11:55 - Governors

Episode links

• O. Mayr - The origins of feedback control
• K. Kelly - Out of Control

Ktesibios

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ctesibius

Drebble

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelis_Drebbel
• https://nautil.us/issue/12/feedback/the-vulgar-mechanic-and-his-magical-oven
• https://sites.google.com/site/ukdrebbel/

Governors

• J.C. Maxwell, “On Governors,”Proc. of the Royal Society of London, vol. 16, pp. 270-283, 1868.
• S.Bennett- A History of Control Engineering 1800-1930
• Special issue on control education - The United Kingdom, by M.C. Smith, IEEE Control Systems Magazine, pp. 51-56, April 1996 (check also here).

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Acknowledgments and sponsors
This episode was supported by the National Centre of Competence in Research on «Dependable, ubiquitous automation» and the IFAC Activity fund. The podcast benefits from the help of an incredibly talented and passionate team. Special thanks to L. Seward, E. Cahard, F. Banis, F. Dörfler, J. Lygeros, ETH studio and mirrorlake . Music was composed by A New Element.