The interest in fractional-order (FO) control can be traced back to the late nineteenth century. The growing tendency towards using fractional-order proportional-integral-derivative (FOPID) control has been fueled mainly by the fact that these controllers have additional “tuning knobs” that allow coherent adjustment of the dynamics of control systems. For instance, in certain cases, the capacity for additional frequency response shaping gives rise to the generation of control laws that lead to superior performance of control loops. These fractional-order control laws may allow fulfilling intricate control performance requirements that are otherwise not in the span of conventional integer-order control systems. However, there are underpinning points that are rarely addressed in the literature: (1) What are the particular advantages (in concrete figures) of FOPID controllers versus conventional, integer-order (IO) PID controllers in light of the complexities arising in the implementation of the former? (2) For real-time implementation of FOPID controllers, approximations are used that are indeed equivalent to high-order linear controllers. What, then, is the benefit of using FOPID controllers? Finally, (3) What advantages are to be had from having a near-ideal fractional-order behavior in control practice? In the present paper, we attempt to address these issues by reviewing a large portion of relevant publications in the fast-growing FO control literature, outline the milestones and drawbacks, and present future perspectives for industrialization of fractional-order control. Furthermore, we comment on FOPID controller tuning methods from the perspective of seeking globally optimal tuning parameter sets and how this approach can benefit designers of industrial FOPID control. We also review some CACSD (computer-aided control system design) software toolboxes used for the design and implementation of FOPID controllers. Finally, we draw conclusions and formulate suggestions for future research.

In addition to vehicle control, drivers often perform secondary tasks that impede driving. Reduction of driver distraction is an important challenge for the safety of intelligent transportation systems. In this paper, a methodology for the detection and evaluation of driver distraction while performing secondary tasks is described and an appropriate hardware and a software environment is offered and studied. The system includes a model of normal driving, a subsystem for measuring the errors from the secondary tasks, and a module for total distraction evaluation. A new machine learning algorithm defines driver performance in lane keeping and speed maintenance on a specific road segment. To recognize the errors, a method is proposed, which compares normal driving parameters with ones obtained while conducting a secondary task. To evaluate distraction, an effective fuzzy logic algorithm is used. To verify the proposed approach, a case study with driver-in-the-loop experiments was carried out, in which participants performed the secondary task, namely chatting on a cell phone. The results presented in this research confirm its capability to detect and to precisely measure a level of abnormal driver performance.

In light of the challenges of integrating more renewable energy sources (RESs) into the utility grid, the virtual synchronous generator (VSG) will become an indispensable configuration of modern power systems. RESs are gradually replacing the conventional synchronous generators that are responsible for supplying the utility grid with the inertia damping properties, thus renewable power grids are more vulnerable to disruption than traditional power grids. Therefore, the VSG is presented to mimic the behavior of a real synchronous generator in the power grid through the virtual rotor concept (i.e., which emulates the properties of inertia and damping) and virtual primary and secondary controls (i.e., which emulate the conventional frequency control loops). However, inadequate imitation of the inertia power owing to the low and short-term power of the energy storage systems (ESSs) may cause system instability and fail dramatically. To overcome this issue, this paper proposes a VSG based on superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) technology to emulate the needed inertia power in a short time and thus stabilizing the system frequency at different disturbances. The proposed VSG based on SMES is applied to improve the frequency stability of a real hybrid power grid, Egyptian Power System (EPS), with high renewables penetration levels, nonlinearities, and uncertainties. The performance superiority of the proposed VSG-based SMES is validated by comparing it with the traditional VSG approach based on battery ESSs. The simulation results demonstrated that the proposed VSG based on the SMES system could significantly promote ultra-low-inertia renewable power systems for several contingencies.

Practical work is one of the most important instructional tools in control engineering. To address concerns linked to the cost and space requirements of traditional hands-on laboratories, technology-enabled laboratory modes, such as virtual, remote, and take-home laboratory modes are proposed. Each of these alliterative laboratory modes has its own set of benefits and emphasizes a distinct learning goal. Furthermore, due to lockdown and physical proximity restrictions imposed by policies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the employment of these laboratory modes has been quickly increasing. The laboratories’ development, operation, and maintenance become more fragmented as a result of these many possibilities. In this study, we propose “ ReImagine Lab” as a framework for leveraging digital twins and extended reality technologies to streamline the development and operation of hands-on, virtual, and remote laboratories. By increasing the level of interaction, immersion, and collaboration in technology-enabled laboratory forms, this framework intends to boost student engagement. The benefits of this framework are demonstrated by examining several use cases, and a 37-person “system usability study” is conducted to assess the usability of virtual laboratories employing desktop computers and immersive virtual reality.