Control theory tutorial: basic concepts illustrated by software examples

Preprint manuscript and Mathematica software.

ABSTRACT: I introduce the basic principles of control theory in a concise self-study tutorial. I present each key principle in a simple and natural progression through the subject. The principles slowly build on each other to fill out the basic foundation of feedback, robustness, tradeoffs and optimization. I leave all the detail to the many excellent introductory texts, and instead focus on how to think clearly about control. I emphasize why the key principles are important. I illustrate each principle with examples and graphics. I include, in a freely available file, all of the Wolfram Mathematica software code that I used to develop the examples. The code provides the starting point for your own exploration of the concepts and the subsequent development of your own theoretical studies and applications.

NOTE: I wrote this tutorial because I could not find a simple, brief introduction to the foundational concepts of control theory. I needed to understand those key concepts before I could read the standard introductory texts on control or read the more advanced literature. Ultimately, I wanted to develop sufficient understanding so that I could develop my own line of research on control in biological systems.