Welcome

It is our pleasure to invite you to participate in the 19th IFAC Conference on Technology, Culture and International Stability - TECIS 2019, which aims to bring together researchers and practitioners from industry and academia to give an overview of the state of the art, to present new research results and to exchange ideas and experiences in the field of international stability.

Important Dates

Draft papers submission deadline (Extended): 2019-04-21 2019-05-31
Deadline for submission of invited sessions proposals - 2019-04-07

Scope

Control and automation technologies can be used to improve the conditions in less developed regions by helping to create jobs and improving inflows of wealth. They can be also used to improve agriculture and to provide medical services in unstable regions. Technology development leads to dramatic changes in international stability. It has never been so important to examine system stability. During recent years social international and national systems of control have been shown to be inadequate and prone to be fundamental and most basic instable. Many basic assumptions are no longer certain and are definitely questioned. This event will systematically examine topics associated with these issues. Whilst TECIS 2019 will accept any papers within the scope of the event (see below) the conference is particularly concerned with the role of Cost Oriented Automation as a way of improving international stability, through its applications, technologies, processes and as part of larger systems contexts. With the current new technological developments and emerging trends the importance of the cost-oriented automation has increased significantly and may have a lasting impact on the society and international stability. After a sequence of successful symposia on "Low Cost Automation" (1986 - 2004) and on "Cost-Oriented Automation" or "Affordable Automation Systems" (2007 - 2010) this conference aims to provide a place for the specialists in the field to discuss new methods for reducing the cost of automation systems considering not only the development and application of low cost components of control systems, but the control aspects of their life cycle regarding design, production, operating, maintenance, reconfiguration and recycling.

Topics

Whilst this conference is particularly interested to attract papers which address cost-oriented issues, the IPC will consider any papers within the scope of TC 9.5. The scope includes, but is not limited to:

  • Control and Automation Applications Designed to Improve Stability
  • Social Networks
  • Managing the Introduction of Technological Change to Improve Stability
  • Technological Applications in Post-conflict Regions
  • Architecture and Software Tools for Enterprise Integration and Networking
  • Cost Oriented Automation: modularity, flexibility
  • Cost Reduction with E-Maintenance Systems
  • SME-oriented Automation and Decision Support Systems
  • Control of Biotechnological Processes
  • Semi-Automated Assembly and Disassembly
  • Cost Oriented Automation in Mining, Agriculture and Transportation
  • Efficient Use of Intelligent Machinery
  • Advances in Embedded Control Systems
  • Methods for Cost Effective Operation and Maintenance
  • Advances in Mechatronic Systems and Robotics
  • Retrofitting Old Control Systems and Robots
  • Efficient Control of Hybrid Energy Systems (Wind, Solar, Biogas, Waterpower)
  • Ecological Systems
  • Engineering Ethics
  • Tele-medical Systems
  • Cross-cultural Aspects of Engineering

Young Authors Award

Dear Contributor to IFAC TECIS 2019,

We would like to announce that during the 19th IFAC Conference on Technology, Culture and International Stability (TECIS 2019) one paper written and presented by a young researcher will be awarded with the IFAC Young Authors Award. It should be the best paper among the papers where the first and presenting young author satisfies one of the following eligibility criteria and is at the same time the main contributor of the research results in the paper.

The two eligibility criteria are as follows:
1) an age criterion – to be at maximum 30 years old at the time of the event, or
2) to have a PhD-student status at the time of the paper submission.

The members of the IFAC Young Author Prize Selection Committee will determine, based on the gathered reviews and on their own readings of the papers, a short list of finalists and will notify the authors. The winner will be determined at the time of the conference, on the basis of the quality of his written paper and his oral presentation.

Speakers

Prof. DSc. Genady Simeonovich Osipov

Institute for System Analysis, Russian Academy of Sciences, President of Russian Association for Artificial Intelligence, Fellow of the European Coordinating Committee for Artificial Intelligence, Editor-in-Chief of the journal Artificial Intelligence and Decision Making.
Title of the plenary paper: “The interaction between subjective Model of the World and the Artificial Intelligence Methods in the modeling of higher psychic functions”

Abstract: The report is devoted to the modeling of some higher psychic functions, i.e. such mental functions that the subject are controlled. In particular, such functions include goal setting, reflection, and self-awareness. The basis of such control is a subjective model of the world, which, from the point of view of modern neurophysiological and psychological concepts, has a sign-based character. The report discusses the basics of subjective sign-based theories of reality and models of said functions.

Prof. PhD Gancho Vachkov

Process Automation Engineering Department, Baku Higher Oil School, State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic, Azerbaijan.
Title of the plenary paper: “Detection of Changes and Performance Deterioration in Complex Machines and Industrial Systems”

Abstract: Currently we are living with real time data streams that flow from various sensors in different complex systems, machines and industrial plants. Such bulk of information is becoming more and more difficult to assess, analyze and use in a meaningful way in order to produce respective decision about the operation status of the systems and to detect a possible change or deterioration in the system performance. The talk is focused on several possible methods and techniques for a partial, but still realistic solution of the above problem. A moving window approach to continuously monitoring the operation status of the system is used as a base tool for continuous extraction of different “data clouds” from the real operation. Then each data cloud is compared to a “typical” predefined operation by using some measure of similarity in order to make the most plausible classification of the operation status. Theoretically the problem is similar by definition to the standard supervised classification, but it also has some unique specifics, which comes from the endless real time data clouds in the stream. Here different clustering methods, as well as the concept of the grid fuzzy models are used for capturing the typical behaviors of the industrial system. More details and application results are given in the talk on the examples of monitoring systems for anomaly detection in the operation of hydraulic excavators, photovoltaic systems and a petrochemical plant.

Dr. Christoph Jansen

President of Flensburg University of Applied Sciences, Flensburg, Germany.
Title of the plenary paper: „Leveraging academic potentials for socio-economic demands - a contribution to regional resilience“

Abstract: Constantly, business and society in general are facing multiple threads or, systemically speaking, “disturbances”. The threads are manyfold: game-changing new technologies, new business models combined with the appearance of new types of competitors, environmental changes, the implementation of new legal frameworks, to name a few. These disturbances are unbalancing the stability of the system due to significant economic losses or societal problems. Innovation is the answer to this challenge. Universities can significantly improve innovation within companies and the skillset of individuals to, hence, strengthen the resilience of business and society. This key argument of the presentation is demonstrated by examples of nowadays hot-topics like digitalization or system integration of renewable energy sources as well as regional specific examples as from the maritime sector. The author has been working at the juncture of industry and university for several years, after ten years at a multinational enterprise, he currently serves as president for Flensburg University of Applied Sciences.

Prof. Karamjit S Gill

Editor-in-Chief of the Journal AI & Society, Springer, Professor Emeritus, University of Brighton, Brighton, UK.
Title of the plenary paper: “Designing Symbiotic Technological Futures”

Abstract: The current AI narratives of “digital society”, “human-centered A.I.” and the “Fourth Industrial Revolution”, draw our attention to the historical debate on determinism and cybernetics, and the ongoing concerns with the design of human-machine systems for possible symbiotic technological futures. The debate continues today in the predicament of automation vs. augmentation that still seeks coherence and stability of interconnected societal systems. We are faced with the impact of automation on the one hand, and the desire for the common-good potential of augmented digital systems on the other. Whilst the automation agenda of the work place, organisational systems, and institutions continues to happen quietly, it presents us with social challenges of governance, ethics, accountability and intervention. These challenges arise from the accelerated integration of powerful artificial intelligence systems into core social institutions. Moreover, as autonomous systems creep into our everyday lives, we are confronted with an electronic world where digital bots or electronic ‘agents’ are already representing us in our interactions. The challenge we face is to come up with possible human-machine futures that mitigate the impact of the instrumental models of Big Data systems, machine learning, and deep learning algorithms. How can we transcend the instrumental reason of ‘machine thinking’ to mould technological futures for common good? We need to address questions such as, can we harness collective intelligence as a transforming tool for addressing unpredictable problems of complex social systems? This talk will explore whether reframing the ideas of ‘causality’ and ‘alignment’ can overcome the unpredictability of black box architectures and the limit of ‘instrumental’ approach to socio-technical solutions.

Prof. PhD Peter Kopacek

Professor Emeritus, Institute of Mechanics and Mechatronics, Vienna University of Technology, Chair of the IFAC Technical Committee 9.5
Title of the plenary paper: “Trends in Production Automation”

Abstract: Process – and manufacturing automation as well as robotics are currently one of the fastest growing fields in automation. Cyber-physical systems, industry 4.0 and “advanced robots” are not longer a headline. Production 4.0 is in realization but production 5.0 is knocking on the door. Production 4.5 was introduced one year ago as an immediate step for small and medium enterprises. They are some first dreams on production 6.0. An important part of production automation is (semi) automated assembly. This topic is currently only outlined in the literature with some description of laboratory tests. Concerning of one of the scopes of TECIS “End of life management – EoL” an important part (semi) automated disassembly is currently missing in all of these concepts. Therefore in this contribution first ideas on (semi) automated disassembly 4.0 including new tasks for “advanced” robots will be given and shortly discussed. As a consequence of these developments new social, ethical and human questions appear.

Prof. PhD Petko Petkov, Corresponding Member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Technical university of Sofia, Faculty of Automatics, Systems and Control Department
Title of the plenary paper: “Embedded robust control of multivariable plants”

Abstract: The paper is devoted to the problems arising in the design and implementation of robust control laws for embedded multivariable control systems. Identification, derivation of uncertainty models of multivariable plants as well as problems associated with the determination of robust controllers on the basis of such models are discussed in some details. A methodology for building uncertainty models based on the identification results is presented. The problems arising on the different design stages are illustrated by an example of embedded robust control of two-input two-output analog model. The plant is identified by using black box and gray box identification methods which produce the necessary information to build the corresponding uncertainty models. Two discrete-time robust controllers are designed and embedded in the real system. Simulation results for the closed-loop system and experimental results obtained by using the robust controllers are given.

Dr. Fahmida N. Chowdhury

Program Director, Office of International Science and Engineering, US National Science Foundation
Title of the plenary paper: “Toward a Broader Definition of Engineering Careers”

Abstract:The fields of science, engineering and technology have always been international. In the recent decades, the importance of global engagement has substantially increased because many emerging critical problems are trans-boundary, and optimal solutions to those require the participation of multiple stakeholders. In many cases, scientists/engineers and national/international policymakers must work together to resolve these complicated issues. Such mixed teams may be very rewarding, but also have risks and pitfalls: there is a need for great understanding and openness, which takes nontrivial effort. Increasingly, we will have to develop a new generation of engineers who would be comfortable and excited to join the policymakers .
In this talk, I argue that in the engineering side, we could inspire a cultural change from a traditional definition of engineering careers to a broader, more inclusive view, where venturing into the world of international policy is an acceptable option. I also argue that international experiences are essential for engineering students in order to develop the right mindset to successfully function in the ever-evolving global workplace. In this context, I propose that engineering curricula should include examples of how engineers help solve global socio-technical problems, contribute to sustainable development, contribute to world peace and international stability. Last but not the least, in this talk I will present information on how the US National Science Foundation promotes and funds the development of a globally engaged science and technology workforce, and how international partners can collaborate in such funded projects.

International Program Committee (IPC)

  • Professor Peter Kopacek - Chair
  • Professor Larry Stapleton - Co-chair
  • Professor, Ph.D. Andon Topalov - Vice-Chair from Industry

IPC members

F.Allgöwer (DE) M.Hadjiski (BG) T. Neshkov (BG)
I. Eksin (TUR) A. Ollero (ES) K.Boshnakov (BG)
E. Hajrizi (KOS) O. Kaynak (TR) M. Hersh (SCO)
S. L. Jamsa-Jounela (FL) E. Uyar (TUR) P. Korondi (H)
Chang-Koon Choi (Rep.K) K. Gill (UK) H. Hashimoto (JP)
M. Stankovski (FYROM) M. de J. Ramirez C. (MX) A. Rodic (RS)
S. Strmcnik (SLOV) S. Domek (PL) S. Nof (USA)
D. Silviu (RO) T. Dinibutun (TR) E. Nikolov (BG)
V. Sgurev (BG) R. Susta (CZ) R. H. Weston (UK)
P. Albertos (ES) L. Vlacic (AUSRALIA) R. Carreli (ARG)
A. Cipriano (Chile) S. Boverie (F) J. Sasiadek (CA)
L.Fan (CHN) G. Vachkov (BG) A. Kordon (USA)
F. Lamnabhi-Lagarrigue (FR) E. Blanzeri (IT)
D.Martin (USA) D.Brandt (D) V.Piuri (IT)
V. Tsyganov (RUS) Z. Avdeeva (RUS)
D. Makarenko (RUS) V.V. Kulba (RUS)
P. Groumpos (GR) R. Goncalves (PT)

National Organizing Committee (NOC):

  • Associate Professor, Ph.D. Nikola Shakev - Chair
  • Professor, Ph.D. Andon Topalov - Co-chair
  • Professor, D.Sc. Lubka Dukovska - Vice-Chair from Industry
  • assist. prof. PhD Sevil Ahmed

Editor

Professor Larry Stapleton

Registration & Pricing

Early registration fee (before July 22, 2019)
Regular 300 €
Student, retired 120 €
Students and retired persons fee covers the participation in the conference with one paper only.
Late registration fee
Regular 350 €
Student, retired 350 €
Accompanying person fee
30 € - includes coffee-breaks on all conference days and participation to the official dinner
You can pay the fee only via bank transfer using the following bank account:
THE JOHN ATANASOFF SOCIETY OF AUTOMATICS AND INFORMATICS
BANK: FIRST INVESTMENT BANK (ПЪРВА ИНВЕСТИЦИОННА БАНКА)
BIC: FINVBGSF
IBAN: BG46FINV91501215834352
address: First Investment Bank branch “National Theater”
Sofia 1000
7, Diakon Ignatii street
Registration fees include:
  • Access to all Conference sessions
  • Coffee-breaks on all Conference days
  • Access to the Conference Banquet
  • Tours
  • Other social events
Registration fees do not include:
  • Additional papers
  • Additional pages
  • Accommodation costs
  • Travel costs
  • Travel insurance
  • Visa or inoculation costs

Important: In case you would like to receive an invoice for the payment of the conference registration fee on the name of your university you have to provide us with the following information: 1) name of the university; 2) address of the university; 3) VAT number of the university. Alternatively, you can receive invoice on your name personally. In this case we need your full name.

Submit Your Contribution Work


All the paper submissions should be carried out through the official conference manuscript management system (it is OPEN now). To submit regular papers, invited session or invited papers, please click on the SUBMIT button.

All papers must be in English. Papers should be prepared in double column format suitable for direct printing onto A4 paper (210mm x 297mm / 8.3in x 11.7in) paper, justified if possible, using Times Roman 10pt typeface. IFAC MS Word template for papers submitted to IFAC technical meetings can be donloaded HERE

Submit

Copyright conditions

"All publication material submitted for presentation at an IFAC-sponsored meeting (Congress, Symposium, Conference, Workshop) must be original and hence cannot be already published, nor can it be under review elsewhere. The authors take responsibility for the material that has been submitted. IFAC-sponsored conferences will abide by the highest standard of ethical behavior in the review process as explained on the Elsevier webpage (https://www.elsevier.com/authors/journal-authors/policies-and-ethics), and the authors will abide by the IFAC publication ethics guidelines (https://www.ifac-control.org/events/organizers-guide/PublicationEthicsGuidelines.pdf/view).
Accepted papers that have been presented at an IFAC meeting will be published in the proceedings of the event using the open-access IFAC-PapersOnLine series hosted on ScienceDirect (https://sciencedirect.com/). To this end, the author(s) must confer the copyright to IFAC when they submit the final version of the paper through the paper submission process. The author(s) retain the right to use a copy of the paper for personal use, internal institutional use at the author(s)' institution, or scholarly posting at an open web site operated by the author(s) or their institution, limited to noncommercial use. Any other use of the paper requires approval by IFAC."

Conference Sponsors & Partners

Event Location

HOTEL "VILLA LIST"
5 Yani Popov str.
Sozopol 8130
Bulgaria
Phone: +359 550 223 70 (manager)
Web: http://www.hotellist-bg.com/
Email: villalist@mail.bg

Contact us

Phone: +359 32 659 528
             +359 32 659 585
Email: tecis@tu-plovdiv.bg

The Organization Committee has negotiated preferential prices for conference participants with hotel "Villa List". The prices are as follow:
  • Single room with breakfast - 50 leva
  • Single room, that have a window with a look towards the sea, with breakfast - 57 leva
  • Single room with all Inclusive light - 79 to 86 leva
  • Bed in a double room with breakfast - 35 leva
  • Bed in a double room, that have a window with a look towards the sea, with breakfast - 42 leva
  • Bed in a double room with all Inclusive light - 64 to 71 leva
  • Transportation of participants from Burgas Airport to Sozopol (or back) by car in only one direction - 75 leva
For registration and additional information, please contact Miss Proletina Chora, Manager of Hotel Villa List on her mobile phone: +359 884 887 765 or on her e-mail: villalist@mail.bg. If you register through the site booking.com (or similar), you will not be able to take advantage of the agreed preferential prices.