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Episode List

ep42 - inControl guide to ... the Nyquist criterion

Mar 16th, 2026 7:00 AM

Outline00:00 – Intro04:43 – Life and background08:45 – Bell Labs13:42 – Inventing the negative feedback amplifier18:15 – Nyquist's landmark contributions20:43 – Regeneration theory27:10 – Frequency response32:03 – Cauchy’s argument principle36:05 – The Nyquist criterion41:37 – Why is it so hard?45:27 – Robustness, margins, and practical aspects56:41 – Beyond the Nyquist criterion1:04:25 – Pitfalls and common misunderstandings1:07:00 – OutroLinksBrian Douglas's video: http://y2u.be/sof3meN96MAThe Idea Factory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Idea_FactoryInventing the Negative Feedback Amplifier: https://doi.org/10.1109/MSPEC.1977.6501721Johnson–Nyquist noise:  https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.32.110Nyquist sampling theorem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyquist%E2%80%93Shannon_sampling_theoremRegeneration theory: https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1538-7305.1932.tb02344.xGain and phase margins: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bode_plot#Gain_margin_and_phase_marginRouth–Hurwitz criterion: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Routh%E2%80%93Hurwitz_stability_criterionÅström’s lecture: https://archive.control.lth.se/media/Staff/KarlJohanAstrom/Lectures/ASMENyquistLecture2005.pdfScale-Relative Graphs: https://doi.org/10.1109/TAC.2023.3234016Support the showPodcast infoPodcast website: https://www.incontrolpodcast.com/Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/5n84j85jSpotify: https://tinyurl.com/4rwztj3cRSS: https://tinyurl.com/yc2fcv4yYoutube: https://tinyurl.com/bdbvhsj6Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/3z24yr43Twitter: https://twitter.com/IncontrolPInstagram: https://tinyurl.com/35cu4kr4Acknowledgments and sponsorsThis 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.

ep41 - A minimal history of optimal control

Feb 16th, 2026 7:00 AM

Outline00:00 - Intro02:55 - Brachistochrone problem20:52 - Beginning of the calculus of variations32:00 - Principle of least action42:37 - Maximum principle1:02:35 - Dynamic programming1:11:12 - Linear quadratic control1:16:37 - Beyond optimal control: games, nonsmooth analysis, MPC, RL1:28:40 - OutroLinks300 years of optimal control: https://tinyurl.com/2s3t8se4Brachistochrone: https://tinyurl.com/mwmv38ewActa Eruditorum, 1696: https://tinyurl.com/55yf5v49Acta Eruditorum, 1697: https://tinyurl.com/2a7msaajBernoulli family: https://tinyurl.com/y2vx2xdnLeibniz–Newton calculus controversy: https://tinyurl.com/3974fdhdCalculus of variations: https://tinyurl.com/3vvz8tufBeginning of the Calculus of Variations: https://tinyurl.com/mv6btxfnLagrangian mechanics: https://tinyurl.com/ycx5fv46Euler–Lagrange equation: https://tinyurl.com/53yybvyxHamiltonian mechanics: https://tinyurl.com/yfrd8zhzHamilton–Jacobi equation: https://tinyurl.com/46m9cuvsPontryagin: https://tinyurl.com/35ehxnexPontryagin’s autobiography:  https://ega-math.narod.ru/LSP/book.htmDiscovery of the Maximum Principle: https://tinyurl.com/3s43nv4tMaximum Principle: https://tinyurl.com/4f7352t4Goddard problem: https://tinyurl.com/5n8swp2mHamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation: https://tinyurl.com/4uemn5y4Kalman filter: https://tinyurl.com/39zx5yryClarke: https://tinyurl.com/yj2tzcjbMPC: https://tinyurl.com/4sf5pzvy RL: https://tinyurl.com/ee5ne7szAlphaGo: https://tinyurl.com/ydrf8jscSupport the showPodcast infoPodcast website: https://www.incontrolpodcast.com/Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/5n84j85jSpotify: https://tinyurl.com/4rwztj3cRSS: https://tinyurl.com/yc2fcv4yYoutube: https://tinyurl.com/bdbvhsj6Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/3z24yr43Twitter: https://twitter.com/IncontrolPInstagram: https://tinyurl.com/35cu4kr4Acknowledgments and sponsorsThis 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.

ep40 - Jeff Shamma: gain scheduling, nonlinear control, learning & dissipativity in games, jiu-jitsu

Jan 15th, 2026 7:00 AM

Outline00:00 - Intro03:18 - Early days: why control, M. Athans, and IDSS12:21 - What is gain scheduling?33:37 - Paradigm shifts & the ‘90s: Minnesota → Texas → LA 42:19 - Robustness & fundamental limitations of nonlinear systems57:35 - Set-valued control & estimation01:04:52 - Game theory & multi-agent control 01:28:18 - Learning & dissipativity in games & multi agent AI01:45:03 - KAUST: building something new01:53:33 - On human-algorithmic interaction01:59:07 - Advice to future students: control, jiu-jitsu, and chatbots in education2:10:02 - OutroLinksJeff’s website: https://tinyurl.com/52btmmz7CSM interview: https://tinyurl.com/49wh98x7Domain: feedbackcontrol.comM. Athans: https://tinyurl.com/nhbw66waPhD thesis: https://tinyurl.com/5eyxkfm6IDSS: https://tinyurl.com/bdenwy6dResearch on gain scheduling: https://tinyurl.com/55se8zcr Overview of LPV systems: https://tinyurl.com/3ksff58b Åström’s lecture: https://tinyurl.com/33mxkkfe Necessity of the small gain theorem: https://tinyurl.com/mjn9eeb4 Sensitivity reduction for nonlinear plants: https://tinyurl.com/23tej5ypRespect the unstable: https://tinyurl.com/3yww5eds Differential inclusion: https://tinyurl.com/4yvc8vccLectures on game theory: https://tinyurl.com/4z8hh3rnDynamic fictitious play: https://tinyurl.com/yc6wsxjjCooperative control and potential games: https://tinyurl.com/4hbmrt72Dissipativity theory in game theory: https://tinyurl.com/3theyc7xPopulation games, stable games, and passivity: https://tinyurl.com/zxwtzv6wGame theory and control: https://tinyurl.com/yencrwm3Higher-order uncoupled learning: https://tinyurl.com/37Support the showPodcast infoPodcast website: https://www.incontrolpodcast.com/Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/5n84j85jSpotify: https://tinyurl.com/4rwztj3cRSS: https://tinyurl.com/yc2fcv4yYoutube: https://tinyurl.com/bdbvhsj6Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/3z24yr43Twitter: https://twitter.com/IncontrolPInstagram: https://tinyurl.com/35cu4kr4Acknowledgments and sponsorsThis 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.

ep39 - Female influencers in control

Dec 16th, 2025 7:00 AM

Outline00:00 - Intro05:01 - Female Influencers in Control — The Backstory08:08 - Sofya Kovalevskaya15:21 - Irmgard Lotz26:16 - A new wave of control influencers34:26 - Some data43:38 - What can one do? 1:00:10 - Exhibition + survey1:05:21 - OutroLinksFemale influencers in control project: https://tinyurl.com/mv879ahfCharlotta Johnsson: https://tinyurl.com/343esbeuEva Westin: https://tinyurl.com/3p6fd5n8Margret Bauer: https://tinyurl.com/47d35xzbSofya Kovalevskaya: https://tinyurl.com/4mmzruwcRemembering Sofya Kovalevskaya: https://tinyurl.com/4cpw7vffIrmgard Lotz: https://tinyurl.com/y2exmndmFlow Computation Pioneer Irmgard Flügge-Lotz (1903–1974): https://tinyurl.com/4cy3xsp3Discontinuous Automatic Control: https://tinyurl.com/yeys5dxxHistorical Female Influencers in Automatic Control: https://tinyurl.com/yxw4bjxeActivity report: https://tinyurl.com/jwzn4z3cSupport the showPodcast infoPodcast website: https://www.incontrolpodcast.com/Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/5n84j85jSpotify: https://tinyurl.com/4rwztj3cRSS: https://tinyurl.com/yc2fcv4yYoutube: https://tinyurl.com/bdbvhsj6Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/3z24yr43Twitter: https://twitter.com/IncontrolPInstagram: https://tinyurl.com/35cu4kr4Acknowledgments and sponsorsThis 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.

ep38 - inControl guide to ... Feedback

Nov 17th, 2025 7:00 AM

Outline00:00 – Intro07:22 – Anatomy of a feedback loop15:12 – A brief historical recap on the history of feedback23:40 – Inventing the negative feedback amplifier34:28 – Feedback in biology, economics, society, and ... board games!52:44 – Negative vs positive feedback59:15 – Feedback, causality, and the arrow of time1:06:22 – Classics: fundamental limitations, uncertainty, robustness1:21:30 – Adaptive control: learning in the loop1:29:50 – Modern AI feedback loops (RL, social media, alignment)1:40:40 – OutroLinksWatt’s flyball governor: https://tinyurl.com/ne5nene3Maxwell - "On Governors": https://tinyurl.com/2a7cxj7m Black - "Inventing the negative-feedback amplifier": https://tinyurl.com/yevsemdpNyquist Criterion: https://tinyurl.com/33hfbw8mBode's integral: https://tinyurl.com/53sxkdzuWiener - "Cybernetics": https://tinyurl.com/yta899ayApoptosis: https://tinyurl.com/mcxjycka Predator–prey dynamics (Lotka–Volterra): https://tinyurl.com/5cvx33tn Bird migration cues (photoperiodism): https://tinyurl.com/y2e7t22v Neuron action potentials: https://tinyurl.com/2wemwdn4Economic equilibrium & feedback: https://tinyurl.com/nhdx7r3sEcho chambers: https://tinyurl.com/4v8yk7e8 Game design: https://tinyurl.com/bdhdhv38Gap metric (Vinnicombe): https://tinyurl.com/y9nw3yveGeorgiou, Smith - "Feedback Control and the Arrow of Time": https://tinyurl.com/5xvj76jrAnnaswamy, Fradkov - "A Historical Perspective of Adaptive Control and Learning": https://tinyurl.com/4nfew8vm Algorithmic trading flash crash (2010): https://tinyurl.com/2dsrs8j2AI alignment: https://tinyurl.com/yvs3wnj8Support the showPodcast infoPodcast website: https://www.incontrolpodcast.com/Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/5n84j85jSpotify: https://tinyurl.com/4rwztj3cRSS: https://tinyurl.com/yc2fcv4yYoutube: https://tinyurl.com/bdbvhsj6Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/3z24yr43Twitter: https://twitter.com/IncontrolPInstagram: https://tinyurl.com/35cu4kr4Acknowledgments and sponsorsThis 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.

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