Intermittent Control in Man and Machine

TL;DR

This paper explores a mathematical model of event-driven intermittent control, integrating physiological and engineering perspectives, supported by examples and proposing future research directions in both fields.

Contribution

It introduces a novel mathematical model of event-driven intermittent control that bridges physiological and engineering insights, extending previous work.

Findings

Intermittent control is supported by strong physiological evidence.

The model demonstrates key properties of intermittent control in physiological systems.

Suggestions for future interdisciplinary research are provided.

Abstract

Intermittent control has a long history in the physiological literature and there is strong experimental evidence that some human control systems are intermittent. Intermittent control has also appeared in various forms in the engineering literature. This article discusses a particular mathematical model of Event-driven Intermittent Control which brings together engineering and physiological insights and builds on and extends previous work in this area. Illustrative examples of the properties of Intermittent Control in a physiological context are given together with suggestions for future research directions in both physiology and engineering.