Outline 00:00 - Intro 00:42 - “Research should be fun” 02:02 - Early steps in research 09:00 - Book writing and meeting C. Desoer 18:33 - Control synthesis via the factorization approach 25:46 - The graph metric 29:27 - Robotics and CAIR 36:00 - Randomized algorithms 40:41 - On learning 44:05 - Neural networks 48:40 - Tata, hidden Markov models, and large deviations theory 55:48 - Picking problems and role of luck 58:07 - Compressed sensing and non-convex optimization 01:02:17 - Interplay betwee...
Jun 16, 2025•1 hr 18 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Outline 00:00 - Intro and early steps in control 06:42 - Journey to the US 08:30 - Kharitonov's theorem and early influences 12:10 - From Lund to KTH (Stockholm) 15:01 - Ascona and collaboration with Megretski 24:06 - The IMA year in Minnesota 33:50 - Integral quadratic constraints 46:10 - KYP lemma and meeting Yakubovich 52:35 - Piecewise hybrid systems 59:41 - Dual to Lyapunov theorem 1:06:48 - Positivity and large scale systems 1:15:25 - Adaptive and dual control 1:25:24 - Future research dir...
May 16, 2025•1 hr 30 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Outline 00:00 - Intro 01:07 - Early steps 02:47 - Why control? 05:20 - The move to the US 07:40 - The first journal paper 13:30 - What is backstepping? 17:08 - Grad school 25:10 - Stochastic stabilization 29:53 - The interest in PDEs 43:24 - Navier-Stokes equations 52:12 - Hyperbolic PDEs and traffic models 57:51 - Predictors for long delays 1:08:14 - Extremum seeking 1:27:14 - Safe control 1:36:30 - Interplay between machine learning and control 1:42:28 - Back to the roots: robust adaptive cont...
Apr 15, 2025•2 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Outline 00:00 - Intro 03:26 - Development: ETH Zürich 07:15 - Growth: Minnesota and Wisconsin 36:16 - Productivity: Caltech 53:28 - Change: ETH Zürich 01:37:18 - Continuity: University of Pennsylvania 01:45:36 - Outro Links Manfred’s website: https://tinyurl.com/mryp38w3 Farewell lecture: https://tinyurl.com/2j5uxsp4 Laying the foundations: an advisor’s perspective: https://tinyurl.com/ym5e4437 Internal model control. A unifying review and some new results: https://tinyurl.com/vmm7a4tk Internal ...
Feb 17, 2025•1 hr 46 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Outline 00:00 - Intro 02:42 - Early life 10:24 - WWII, Johns Hopkins, Belleville, Madison 17:17 - Princeton 20:30 - Los Alamos 24:12 - Back to Princeton 31:01 - RAND + Stanford 42:10 - Dynamic programming 46:06 - Project matterhorn 51:00 - Back to RAND 56:14 - Curse of dimensionality 1:02:41 - Divorce and remarriage 1:08:29 - Greenglass affair 1:14:21 - USC 1:18:55 - Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions 1:22:55 - Last years 1:26:08 - Outro Links R. Bellman: https://tinyurl.com/ydkmwex...
Jan 17, 2025•1 hr 30 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Outline 00:00 Intro 01:19 Swedish control heritage and early steps 05:21 PhD at Lund and relay feedback systems 15:40 Berkeley years 19:58 Hybrid systems 26:46 Networked control systems 30:32 Interaction with industry 34:40 Wireless control systems 40:33 Platooning in freight transport 49:27 Future of mobility 52:55 Event-based control 58:58 Cybersecurity 1:05:10 Societal-scale challenges 1:12:33 Bode lecture reflections 1:15:05 Digital futures 1:23:38 Advice for future students Links Kalle’s we...
Dec 15, 2024•1 hr 29 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Outline 00:00 - Intro 02:14 - Early steps in control 05:36 - L1 control 17:09 - Relay feedback systems 24:32 - Agile robotic maneuvers 29:31 - Abstractions and models 41:59 - Causality 49:35 - Markets and power grids 1:00:20 - Role of network structure 1:05:03 - Data, systems, and society 1:16:17 - On writing 1:22:57 - Cascaded failures in networks 1:30:40 - Information design 1:34:29 - Data markets 1:42:27 - On economics and engineering 1:48:18 - Systems thinking for societal problems 1:58:24 -...
Oct 17, 2024•2 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Outline 00:00 - Intro 00:49 - Early education and PhD in control 10:35 - Non-negative linear algebra & modelling uncertainty principle 22:50 - Influence of Willems & the Frisch scheme 34:27 - Subspace identification & stochastic behavioural system theory 38:39 - Stanford experience with Golub & Kailath 53:30 - Return to Leuven: LS-SVMs, quantum information, and beyond 1:07:48 - Multilinear algebra and tensor trains 1:11:59 - Exact/approximate modelling and angles between systems ...
Aug 21, 2024•1 hr 57 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Outline 01:16 - Intro 02:28 - Early steps in Italy and California 13:00 - From Riemannian geometry … 17:01 - … to geometric control, robotics and locomotion 34:54 - Academic environment at Caltech 35:06 - From single robots to robotic networks 53:51 - Art gallery problem 1:01:37 - Networked and cyber-physical systems 1:21:47 - Contracting dynamics 1:33:07 - Coupled oscillators and power grids 1:47:20 - On mathematical sociology 1:56:44 - Writing and publishing 2:02:14 - About professional servic...
Jul 15, 2024•2 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Outline 00:00 - Intro 01:00 - From Boeing to Planetary Resources 08:57 - The origin of control videos 17:07 - About teaching style 20:52 - The (unnecessary?) math behind controls 26:54 - On interdisciplinarity 31:35 - How to build knowledge fast 48:32 - Resourcium 01:00:49 - The map of control theory 01:11:09 - IFAC Cartoons 01:15:35 - Fundamentals of control theory book 01:24:49 - The role of projects 01:34:27 - Future of control education 01:43:43 - Advice to future students Links Brian’s webs...
Jun 14, 2024•1 hr 46 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Outline 00:00 - Intro 01:17 - Early Years 04:17 - The “Scenic Route” to Control Theory 12:44 - Sampled Data Systems 22:26 - Linear Parameter Varying (LPV) Identification 28:07 - From Distributed Systems and PDEs ... 38:59 - ... to Distributed Control of Spatially Invariant Systems 49:02 - Taming the Navier-Stokes Equations 50:55 - Advice to Future Students 1:13:12 - Coherence in Large Scale Systems 1:32:28 - On Resistive Losses in Power Systems 1:39:00 - Cochlear Instabilities 1:50:40 - Stochast...
May 15, 2024•2 hr 23 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Outline 00:00 - Intro 01:28 - Platform-based design (PBD) in biology 16:42 - Cyberphysical systems, automotive industry, hybrid systems 27:32 - Contracts in system design 34:50 - Chiplets 41:48 - About time: the tag signal model 52:15 - Neuromorphics 59:21 - Innovative ecosystems 1:07:35 - Advice to future students 1:16:26 - The role of luck Links BiKi Technologies: https://t.ly/RuaW7 R. Murray: https://t.ly/Zy_Up S. Sastry: https://t.ly/qsf44 C. Tomlin: https://t.ly/tQ0XZ Platform-based design ...
Apr 15, 2024•1 hr 20 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Outline 00:00 - Intro 02:40 - Classic Studies 06:51 - Early Steps in Berkeley between Optimization and Circuits Theory 16:04 - Back to Italy... and back to Berkeley 26:29 - The SPICE program and the interaction with IBM 33:30 - Logic Synthesis, Simulated Annealing, Timberwolf 40:57 - The Intel x386, YACR, and ESPRESSO 47:01 - The birth of Cadence and Synopsis 1:06:01 - Corsi e Ricorsi in EDA 1:30:45 - The Shift to Automotive and Platform-Based Design 1:39:06 - Outro Links Alberto’s website: http...
Mar 15, 2024•1 hr 47 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Outline 00:00 - Intro 00:58 - Early steps… in physics! 05:17 - AI in Edinburgh 08:00 - Connectionism 10:37 - Robot learning 19:02 - Imitation learning 23:00 - On pursuing a PhD 24:45 - Californian chronicles 30:10 - Modularity 33:20 - Challenges in robot learning 39:44 - Dexterous manipulation 43:52 - Dynamical systems 47:37 - Combining ML and control 51:25 - Human-robot interaction 54:24 - Safety and compliance 57:54 - Deadlines for papers 1:06:38 - Advice to future students 1:07:08 - Outro Lin...
Feb 16, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Outline 00:00 - Intro 01:33 - Starling Flock Formations 07:17 - Harvesters ants in the desert 16:54 - Decision making in the natural world and opinion dynamics 32:08 - A geometric look at political polarization 36:50 - Control theory and dancing 53:25 - CreativeX 55:25 - On creativity 57:47 - Advice to future students Links Andrea Cavagna - http://tinyurl.com/uywn592j Irene Giardina - http://tinyurl.com/4jmk2h5n Starling Flock Networks Manage Uncertainty in Consensus at Low Cost: http://tinyurl....
Jan 15, 2024•58 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Outline 00:00 - Intro 01:05 - Dancing and control theory 03:31 - Geometric control on Lie groups 09:14 - Underwater vehicles and geometric mechanics 18:45 - On the Hamiltonian framework 21:25 - Underwater field experiments in Monte Rey Bay 36:27 - Collective motion and coordination in animal groups 54:40 - Honeybees and bifurcation theory 1:03:36 - Outro Links Naomi’s website: http://tinyurl.com/j755aww5 Naomi’s PhD Thesis: http://tinyurl.com/ywkvvy7k Lie group: http://tinyurl.com/2p83jw9s Avera...
Dec 13, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Outline 00:00 - Intro 00:47 - Mind the gap (metric) 03:16 - Moment problems and Nevanlinna interpolation 06:53 - “Everything relates to everything else” 11:27 - Distances between power spectra 16:08 - Optimal mass transport and Schrödinger bridges 32:25 - Sinkhorn iteration and Wasserstein geometry 37:45 - Color of turbulence 41:38 - Thermodynamics and energy harvesting from heat baths 55:01 - Quantum mechanics 57:55 - Adjustable one-ports 1:07:20 - “Aha moments” and advice to future generations...
Dec 11, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Outline 00:00 - Intro 01:50 - Running marathons 05:19 - The Center 13:28 - On creativity 15:24 - From algebraic system theory to moment problems 43:39 - The gap metric 58:33 - The longstanding friendship and collaboration with M. Smith 01:11:30 - On causality and the arrow of time Links Tryphon’s website: https://georgiou.eng.uci.edu/ People in control interview: https://tinyurl.com/4nw5s9p6 R. Kalman: https://tinyurl.com/mux93t32 A. Tannenbaum: https://tinyurl.com/2pws6rzd Moment problem - http...
Nov 14, 2023•1 hr 26 min•Season 2Ep. 2
In this episode, we dive into the world of flying robots with Davide Scaramuzza (University of Zürich), a leading expert in vision-based navigation, agile drone racing, perception-aware control, and the cutting-edge neuromorphic technology of event cameras. We explore the challenges of autonomous navigation in GPS-denied environments, the excitement of drone racing, the future of robotics, and the revolutionary potential of event-based cameras. Outline 00:58 - Magic 02:58 - Visual SLAM and auton...
Oct 16, 2023•1 hr 34 min•Season 2Ep. 1
In this episode, we chat with Cleve Moler, a pioneer in numerical mathematics, creator of MATLAB and co-founder of MathWorks. We cover the birth of MATLAB, along with captivating stories about the origin of the iconic MathWorks logo, the enigmatic "why" command, the concept of "embarrassingly parallel computations," and the mysterious Pentium bug, among other. Outline 00:00 - Intro 05:23 - Advice to students 05:45 - Caltech & J. Todd 07:07 - Stanford & G. Forsythe 08:27 - The MathWorks l...
Jul 09, 2023•53 min•Season 1Ep. 14
In this episode, we chat again with John Doyle about the frontiers of control theory. Starting from the fascinating interplay between bacteria, physics, and the Internet, we explore the universal laws that govern complex systems. We discuss the inner workings of phenomena like earthquakes, wildfires, and sepsis, emphasizing the vital role of control theory in understanding intrinsic tradeoffs and fragilities. Finally, we discuss the essential components of a full theory of architectures, includi...
Jun 14, 2023•1 hr 47 min•Season 1Ep. 13
In this episode, we sit down with John Doyle, a living legend in the field of robust control, to delve into his incredible journey in control theory. We explore his past at MIT and Honeywell, his time at Berkeley, and his journey through the golden age of robustness. From his groundbreaking work on margins of systems, \mu synthesis, and the H_\infty problem, to his insights on System Level Synthesis (SLS) and modern control architectures, John shares his thoughts on the past, present, and future...
May 15, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 1Ep. 12
In this episode, our guest is Mustafa Khammash. Mustafa is the director of the Control Theory and Systems Biology Lab at ETH Zürich and guides us in this episode as we explore Cybergenetics - the cutting-edge intersection of control theory and synthetic biology. From biomolecular control to antithetic motifs, we discuss real-world applications and ethical dilemmas. Don't miss it! Outline 00:00 - Intro 00:50 - Cybergenetics 02:22 - Genetics 101 05:07- Where control meets biology 06:49 - Mustafa's...
Apr 14, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 11
In this episode, our guest is Stephen Boyd. Stephen is the Samsung Professor in the School of Engineering at Stanford University. Join as we dive deep into control, convex optimization, linear matrix inequalities, disciplined convex programming, teaching styles, and... rock & roll sound! Outline - 00:00 - Intro - 07:48 - Early years at Berkeley - 10:25 - The role of theory in practice - 16:19 - On traveling (intellectually) - 19:40 - Convex optimization - 31:51 - On Linear Matrix Inequalitie...
Mar 15, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Our guest in this episode is Rodolphe Sepulchre, Professor of Engineering at KU Leuven in the Deparment of Electrical Engineering ( STADIUS ) and at the University of Cambridge in the Deparment of Engineering ( Control Group ). We dive into Rodophe's scientific journey across nonlinear control, neuroscience and optimization on manifolds through the unifying lens of control theory. Outline - 00:00 - Intro - 03:54 - Why control? - 11:08 - Spiking control systems - 20:47 - The mixed feedback princi...
Feb 15, 2023•1 hr 24 min•Season 1Ep. 9
In this episode, our guest is Anuradha Annaswamy. Anu is the Director of the Active-Adaptive Control Laboratory and Senior Research Scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the Deparment of Mechanical Engineering. We delve into adaptive control and its exciting history, ranging from the Brave Era to the audacious X15 tests and to modern intersections with Reinforcement Learning. Outline 02:15 - Anu's background 05:20 - What is adaptation? 08:30 - The Brave Era 15:17 - The X15 ac...
Jan 16, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 8
In this episode, our guest is Jean-Jacques Slotine, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Information Sciences as well as Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Director of the Nonlinear Systems Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , and Distinguished Faculty at Google AI . We explore and connect a wide range of ideas from nonlinear and adaptive control to robotics, neuroscience, complex networks, optimization and machine learning. Outline 00:00 - Intro 00:50 - Jean-Jacques' early li...
Nov 29, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 7
In this episode, we delve into the extraordinary life of Norbert Wiener, the founding father of cybernetics - the science “control and communication in the animal and the machine”. Outline 00:00 - Intro 02:06 - The early years of Norbert 09:00 - Europe and WWI 15:50 - MIT days 19:30 - Norbert’s marriage 22:39 - Generalised harmonic analysis 28:18 - The interactions with Hopf and Paley 31:14 - Bush and the analog computer program 35:55 - WWII, Bigelow and prediction theory 40:41 - Rosenbleuth and...
Oct 17, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 6
In this episode, our guest is Sean Meyn, Professor and Robert C. Pittman Eminent Scholar Chair in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Florida . The episode features Sean’s adventures in the areas of Markov chains, networks and Reinforcement Learning (RL) as well as anecdotes and trivia about beekeeping and jazz. Outline 00:00 - Intro 00:22 - Sean’s early steps 03:53 - Markov chains 08:45 - Networks 18:26 - Stochastic approximation 25:00 - Reinforcement Lear...
Aug 18, 2022•53 min•Season 1Ep. 5
In this episode, our guest is Alessandro Chiuso. Alessandro is a Professor in the Department of Information Engineering at the University of Padova . The episode covers several topics, including Alessandro’s research trajectory, his work in system identification and vision, and his passion for skiing. Check out Alessandro’s website here: http://automatica.dei.unipd.it/people/chiuso.html Outline 00:00 - Intro 01:51 - Research trajectory 03:52 - Influential figures 08:20 - System identification 17...
Jul 12, 2022•39 min•Season 1Ep. 4
