Guest editorial for special issue on fractional order systems and controls
YangQuan Chen, Dingyü Xue, Antonio Visioli · IEEE/CAA Journal of Automatica Sinica · 2016
FRACTIONAL calculus is about differentiation and integration of non-integer orders. Using integer-order models and controllers for complex natural or man-made systems is simply for our own convenience while the nature runs in a fractional order dynamical way. Using integer order traditional tools for modelling and control of dynamic systems may result in suboptimum performance, that is, using fractional order calculus tools, we could be "more optimal" as already documented in the literature. An interesting remark is that, using integer order traditional tools, more and more "anomalous" phenomena are being reported or perhaps complained but in applied fractional calculus community, it is now more widely accepted that "Anomalous is normal" in nature. We believe, beneficial uses of fractional calculus from an engineering point of view are possible and important. We also hope that fractional calculus might become an enabler for new science discoveries. Bruce J. West just finished a new book entitled "The Fractional Dynamic View of Complexity - Tomorrow's Science" (CRC Press, 2015). We resonate that, with this special issue, "Fractional Order Systems and Controls" will one day enable "tomorrow's sciences".