The field of control provides the principles and methods used to design physical and information systems that maintain desirable performance by sensing and automatically adapting to changes in the environment. This report spells out some of the prospects for control in the current and future technological environment; describes the role the field will play in military, commercial, and scientific applications over the next decade; and recommends actions required to enable new breakthroughs in engineering and technology through the application of control research.

The report documents the findings and recommendations of the Panel on future Directions in Control, Dynamics, and Systems. The Panel was formed in April 2000 to provide a renewed vision of future challenges and opportunities in the field of control. The Panel was chaired by Professor Richard M. Murray (Caltech) and was formed with the help of an organizing committee consisting of Professor Roger Brockett (Harvard), Professor John burns (VPI), Professor John Doyle (Caltech), and Dr. Gunter Stein (Honeywell).

This brief yet thorough report provides renewed vision, a detailed list of new application areas, and specific recommendations for future research directions in control, dynamics, and systems, compiled by experts in the field.Students, researchers, and decision makers interested in knowing more about control and its relevance to future technological applications will gain much from this detailed overview.