Computer control systems and pharmacological drug administration: a survey

Abstract

Introduction

The last couple of decades have witnessed a rapid development of control and systems theory. Parallel to these developments, advances in electronics and especially computers have resulted in many application areas of control theory, hitherto making do with their own methodologies, being strongly influenced by these developments, and thus adopting their methods. Clinical medicine, although basically a science apparently unrelated to control engineering, is being affected to such an extent that it is now possible to use available online control devices, especially during surgical operations and in intensive care units. This, on the other hand, is hardly surprising if one considers all the other application areas of control engineering, like mining, hazardous industry, air travel or nuclear power production, which have resulted in increased safety standards where human. lives are concerned.