Presidents Panel on Future Research and Applications of Systems, Man, and Cybernetics:

The research areas of Systems Science and Engineering, Human-Machine Systems, and Cybernetics have advanced to the point that not only are they being used in solving serious real-world problems, but we are beginning to see real integration of these areas.

Each of the panelists in this panel bring with them years of experience of seeing “the big picture” gained from being a president of the SMC Society.

The panelists will discuss not only where they think specific future advances may lie in these areas and/or their possible future integrations, but also future trends in research and applications. Their thoughts on possible evolutionary (emerging) and revolutionary (new) areas will be presented.

Organizer/Moderator:
Dr. Michael Smith, Past-President, SMC Society, University of California, Berkeley, USA

Panelists:
Dr. Pierre Borne – Past-President, SMCS, Ecole Centrale de Lille, France
Dr. Bill Gruver – Sr. Past-President, SMCS, Simon Fraser University, Canada
Dr. Larry Hall – Jr. Past-President, SMCS, University of South Florida, USA
Dr. Jim Tien – Past-President, SMCS, University of Miami
Dr. Daniel Yeung – President, SMCS, South China University of Technology, China

Editor-in-Chief Panel on Publishing in IEEE SMC Transactions: Some Useful Insights

Our Society disseminates the most recent knowledge in the area through its three flagship publications: IEEE Trans on SMC- Part A, B, and C. The objective of this panel is to serve as a vehicle to raise awareness about the Transactions, discuss long-term publishing objectives and provide the audience with a forum to discuss a variety of everyday issues around submitting manuscripts and going over reviews and revisions.

The panelists, who are Editors – in – Chief of the three Transactions, will offer their views at the publishing process, identify key features of high quality publications, elaborate on the reviewing process and provide with important guidelines and suggestions on how to prepare an outstanding submission. The panelists will also discuss some commonly encountered shortcoming which might detrimentally affect the overall publishing process.

Organizer/Moderator:
Dr. Witold Pedrycz – University of Alberta, Canada
Dr. Larry Hall – University of South Florida, USA

Panelists:
Dr. Larry Hall – University of South Florida, USA
Dr. Witold Pedrycz – University of Alberta, Canada
Dr. Eugene Santos, Jr. – Dartmouth College, USA
Dr. Vladimir Marik – University in Prague, Czech Republic

Brain Machine Interfaces – A new research avenue for cybernetics and systems science:

Brain-Machine Interfaces (BMI) is a young interdisciplinary field that has grown tremendously during the last decade. BMI is about transforming thought into action, or conversely, sensation into perception. This novel paradigm contends that a user can perceive sensory information and enact voluntary motor actions through a direct interface between the brain and a prosthetic device in virtually the same way that we see, hear, walk or grab an object with our own natural limbs. Proficient control of the prosthetic device relies on the volitional modulation of neural ensemble activity, achieved through training with any combination of visual, tactile, or auditory feedback. BMI has enormous potential as therapeutic technology that will improve the quality of life for the neurologically impaired.

The panel will consist of a team of experts in representative areas within BMI, including machine learning, control, robotics, systems neuroscience, and clinical psychology. Members of the panel will talk about invasive and non-invasive techniques for interfacing the brain, and will discuss ideas on how to bring this exciting interdisciplinary field to the SMC community.

Organizer/Moderator:
Dr. Jose M. Carmena – University of California at Berkeley, USA

Panelists:
Dr. Robert Knight – University of California at Berkeley, USA
Dr. Justin Sanchez – University of Florida, USA
Dr. Jose del R. Millan – Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Switzerland
Dr. Daniel Repperger/Dr. Rodney Roberts – Wright-Patterson Air Force Base/Florida State University, USA
Dr. Michael Smith – University of California, Berkeley, USA

Soft Computing – A Pillar of Applied Cybernetics and Intelligent Systems Design

Since its introduction as the "science of control and communication in the animal and the machine," (N. Wiener) cybernetics remained one of the most fundamental concepts in science and engineering. Its ideas as a general methodology for describing the principles of regulation along with the concepts of systems theory had tremendous impact on machine intelligence. Soft computing - "a coalition of methodologies including fuzzy logic, neurocomputing, evolutionary computing and probabilistic computing," (L. Zadeh) quickly became one of the main pillars supporting the proliferation and application of the principles of cybernetics and systems theory to the broad area of intelligent systems.

The panel will focus on the theoretical and practical aspects, trends, and challenges of the multidisciplinary synergy between soft computing, applied cybernetics and intelligent systems design and their engineering applications.

Organizer/Moderator:
Dr. Dimitar Filev, Ford Motor Company, USA

Panelists:
Dr. M. Berthold – University of Konstanz, Germany
Dr. L. Hall – University of South Florida, USA
Dr. V. Marik – Czech Technical University, Czech Republic
Dr. H. Nakajima – Omron, Japan (tentative)
Dr. W. Pedrycz – University of Alberta, Canada (tentative)
Dr. D. Wunsch – University Missouri-Rolla, USA

Infrastructure System of Systems: Opportunities for Renewal and Growth

Opportunities in infrastructure renewal and expansion will be presented and debated from a system of systems engineering perspective for guiding governments around the world on how to “prime” the global economic engine by wisely investing their billions upon billions of dollars in meaningful infrastructure projects. In the decades immediately proceeding the current world-wide recession, many highly developed countries, such as the United States and Canada, irresponsibly allowed their infrastructure to deteriorate over time, as exemplified by the sudden collapse of bridges, the power failure in northeastern North America in August 2003 and the flooding of New Orleans in August 2005. Moreover, in many third world and developing countries infrastructure must be greatly expanded to meet the needs of their burgeoning populations.

Panel members will present overviews of key infrastructure system of systems problems and associated opportunities in important areas which include water, energy, health, security, pollution abatement and project prioritization in this challenging era of vast infrastructure investment. An interactive discussion with the audience will provide guidance as to how system of systems thinking can be used in the rebuilding of our infrastructure in order to provide a solid foundation upon which society can prosper as it tackles highly interconnected large-scale systems of systems problems ranging from the alleviation of poverty to high-tech industrialization.

Organizer/Moderator:
Dr. Keith W. Hipel – University of Waterloo

Panelists:
Dr. Liping Fang – Ryerson University
Dr. Mo Jamshidi – University of Texas
Dr. Jim Tien – University of Miami
Dr. Margot Weijnen – Delft University of Technology