IFAC in France

A report on France's activity for IFAC: 1956-2008

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IFAC in France1956-2008

Editors:

Janan Zaytoon and Jean-Michel Dion

Contributors:

Jacques Bernussou

Serge Boverie

Jean-Michel Dion

Luc Dugard

André Fossard

Gérard Morel

Janan Zaytoon

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Foreword

IFAC was founded in Paris in September 1957. The French National Member Organisation (NMO) was AFRA (Association Française de Régulation et d’Automatisme) until 1968, and then AFCET (Association Française pour la Cybernétique Economique et Technique) until 1998. Since January 1, 1999, the French NMO has been SEE (Société de l’Electricité, de l’Electronique et des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication).

This report presents a brief history describing the major role played by France in IFAC from its early days. It pays tribute to the many French volunteers who promoted the cause of IFAC and in various capacities contributed to IFAC events held in France.

Paris, May 2008

Jean-Michel Dion

• IFAC Council, Member 2002-2008• IFAC Fellow• IFAC Outstanding Service Award• IFAC Technical Committee on Linear Systems, Chair 1996-2002• IFAC Conference on System Structure and Control SSC’98, IPC Chair• IFAC Workshop on Linear Time Delay Systems TDS’98, NOC Co-Chair and Editor• Invited Plenary Lecturer for four IFAC events • Automatica, past Associate Editor• IFAC World Congress, IPC member 1999, 2002, 2005, 2008

Janan Zaytoon

• IFAC Council, Member 2008-2011• IFAC French NMO, Coordinator 1999-2011• IFAC TC on Discrete Event & Hybrid Systems, Chair 2005-2008, Vice-Chair 2002-2005• IPC Chair/Co-Chair of seven IFAC events; IPC member of 11 other IFAC events• NOC Chair of four IFAC events; NOC member of 25 IFAC events• Editor of Control Engineering Practice and eight IFAC events• Invited Plenary Lecturer for two IFAC events • IFAC TC CACSD, Secretary 1999-2002• IFAC Publication Committee, Member 2008-2011

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The contribution of the French Automatic Control community in the early days of IFAC and the rise of IFAC activities in France

In September 1956, an International Conference on Automatic Control was held in Heidelberg, Germany. At the end of this meeting, 30 enthusiastic scientists and engineers from 18 countries signed a declaration in which the need to create an international organisation for automatic control was clearly defined. A Provisional Committee was established under the chairmanship of Victor Broïda of France to draft a constitution for the planned International Federation of Automatic Control.

On September 12, 1957, the first General Assembly convened at the constituent meeting in Paris. Delegates from 18 countries representing their national organisations assembled at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers with Victor Broïda as chairman. They voted on a constitution and by-laws; elected the first IFAC President and Executive Council members and appointed committee chairmen. On that occasion, Victor Broïda was elected second Vice-President and appointed first Honorary Editor of IFAC. He was also the sixth President of IFAC, from 1969 to 1972.

The French NMO was AFRA until 1968, AFCET until 1998, and is SEE since January 1, 1999. IFAC activities in France are jointly coordinated by SEE and the national research group/network GdR MACS of CNRS (Groupement de Recherche en Modélisation, Analyse et Conduite des Systèmes dynamiques of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique).

France has been among the leading NMOs in hosting IFAC-sponsored events. The first was in 1967, and since then 63 IFAC-sponsored events and 22 IFAC co-sponsored events with about 15,000 participants were organised in France. The French NMO also organised three IFAC Council and related meetings (Paris in 1972, Nantes in 1998, Toulouse in 2007) and is co-organising the friendship evening of the 2008 World Congress.

The 5th IFAC World Congress was held in Paris in 1972. It was attended by 1300 delegates with 228 papers presented. Highlights included the lively round-table discussions that stimulated later interest in IFAC workshops.

Many well-known French personalities have served IFAC in various positions. Since the early days of IFAC, France has been represented at all IFAC World Congresses and on nearly all IFAC Technical Committees. In terms of the number of papers presented and participants, France was the largest contributing country at the 1972 and 2005 IFAC World Congresses. For the two trienniums from 2002 to 2008, France was the leading NMO in the number of Technical Committee Chairs.

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The contribution of the French Automatic Control community in the early days of IFAC and the rise of IFAC activities in France

Victor Broïda IFAC President 1969-1972

Activities of Victor Broïda in IFAC

• Chair of the Provisional Committee that drafted the first IFAC constitution 1956-1957

• Organiser of the first General Assembly of IFAC 1957

• IFAC second Vice-President 1957-1959

• IFAC Honorary Editor, 1958-1966

• IFAC Bibliography Committee, Chair 1963-1969

• IFAC first Vice-President 1966-1969

• IFAC President 1969-1972

• President of the Coordinating Committee of the Five International Federations (FIACC) 1970-1973

• Initiator of the IFAC Bulletin and Automatic Control Abstracts

Victor Broïda was instrumental in the establishment of IFAC. He chaired the provisional committee that drafted the first IFAC constitution. He was one of the first promoters of the field of Industrial Automatic Control.

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Extract from No. 1 IFAC Information Bulletin, May 1958, Editor: Victor Broïda

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Extract from No. 1 IFAC Information Bulletin, May 1958, Editor: Victor Broïda

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Sketches by Michel Cuénod, IFAC Treasurer 1961-1981Extracts from “Highlights from the history of IFAC”, edited by Pieter Eykhoff, IFAC Honorary Editor 1972-1975, and Executive Council Member 1970-1976

IFAC World Congress 1972 in Paris

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IFAC World Congress 1972 in Paris

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Documents of recent IFAC events in France

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Documents of recent IFAC events in France

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IFAC Council and related meetings, Toulouse, June 2007 in conjunction with the IFAC Symposium on Automatic Control in Aerospace

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IFAC Council and related meetings, Toulouse, June 2007 in conjunction with the IFAC Symposium on Automatic Control in Aerospace

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Executive Council and Council membersVictor Broïda, 1956-1975Jean-Charles Gille, 1961-1966Roland Chaussard, 1978-1984André Fossard, 1984-1990André Titli, 1990-1993Jacques Bernussou, 1996-2002Jean-Michel Dion, 2002-2008Janan Zaytoon, 2008-2011

IFAC FellowsJacques Bernussou, 2005Jean-Michel Dion, 2007Ioan D. Landau, 2007

Industrial Achievement Award winnerSerge Boverie, Technical Board Vice-Chair 2008-2011

Other officials 1956-2008Henri ApterMireille BayartAlain BensoussanAlbert BenvenistePierre BernhardPaul BourgineArlette ChéruyGérard DavoustMichel DevyLuc DugardGérard GissingerBernard GrabotJean LagasseJulien LoebNicolas MalagardisFrédérique MayerGérard MorelRoméo OrtegaHervé PanettoMarc PelegrinJean-Paul PerrinMarie-Noëlle PonsPierre RabishongHouria SiguerdidjaneFrançois VernadatRob Vingerhoeds

The French NMO Award was established in 2005 to recognise outstanding and extraordinary individual contributions by French personalities to IFAC NMO and to IFAC activities.

Award Winners

Gérard Morel, 2005Serge Boverie, 2006Luc Dugard, 2007Gérard Gissinger, 2008

A special distinction was also awarded to Alexandre Dolgui for the outstanding organisation of the IFAC Symposium on Information Control Problems in Manufacturing, INCOM 2006 (Saint-Etienne), which attracted a record 783 participants.

IFAC officials from France French NMO Award

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H. Abou-Kandil A. El-Moudni M. Maranzana

R. Alami J.-M. Faure D. Matignon

M. Alamir M. Ferney D. Meizel

D. Alazard J.-L. Ferrier F. Michau

M. Amouroux M. Fliess P. Millot

D. Arzelier L. Foulloy R. Mezencev

J.-P. Babary C. Fraboul L. Morel

J.-P. Barbot D. Galara M. Neuve Eglise

M. Basseville G. Garcia A. Oustaloup

P. Bidan S. Gentil M. Pelegrin

Z. Binder D. Georges R. Perret

A. Blacquiere J.-C. Gille E. Peruchon

P.-A. Bliman L. Grujic C. Prieur

F. Bonnans M. Guglielmi R. Rabah

G. Bornard H. Guéguen A. Rachid

P. Borne T.-M. Guerra J.-P. Richard

X. Boucher D. Henrion E. Rondeau

J. Burger J. Henry A. Rossard

C. Canudas de Wit R. Husson M. Roux

V. Carré-Ménétrier N. Imbert J. Sabatier

S. Cauvin M.-T. Ippolito A.E.K. Sahraoui

J.-P. Chrétien Y. Jarny D. Sauter

J.-L. Coatrieux G. Juanole J.-J. Schwarz

A. Costes W. Khalil O. Sename

J.-P. Crestin J.-F. Lafay J. Skubich

J. Csech F. Lamiraux R. Soenen

D. Deberghes A. L. LeLetty Y. Song

J. Delmas A. Le Mahauté M. Staroswiecki

D. Deneux J.-L. Le Moigne S. Tarbouriech

B. Descotes-Genon J.-J. Lesage D. Theilliol

J. Descusse P. Lhoste J.-P. Thomesse

M. Djemaï F. Lhote E. Trélat

A. Dolgui A. Liegeois J.-C. Trigeassou

G. Doumeingts J.-L. Lions B. Vallespir

O. Dubois J.-J. Loiseau E. Walter

B. Dubuisson M. Malabre A. Yanez

A. El Jai N. Manamanni J.-P. Yvon

Other personalities from France who have served as IPC Chairs, NOC Chairs or Editors of IFAC events

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IFAC events in France (1967-1998)

The first IFAC event in France was organised by AFRA in 1967. Between 1968 and 1998, 36 IFAC-sponsored events and 18 IFAC co-sponsored events were organised under the auspices of the AFCET.

Year Event Venue

1967 IFAC/IFIP Conference on Digital Computer Applications to Process Control Menton

1970 IFAC Symposium on Automatic Control in Space Toulouse

1970 IFAC/IFIP Symposium on Traffic Control Versailles

1972 5th IFAC World Congress Paris

1974 IFAC/IFIP/IFORS Symposium on Traffic Control and Transportation Systems Monte Carlo

1976 INRIA/IIASA/IFAC Symposium on New Trends in System Analysis Paris/Rocquencourt

1977 IFAC Workshop on Control and Management of Integrated Industrial Complexes Toulouse

1977 IFAC Workshop on Information and Systems Compiègne

1979 IFAC/IFORS Symposium on Comparison of Automatic Control and Operational Research Techniques Applied Toulouse

1980 IFAC Symposium on Large Scale Systems: Theory & Applications Toulouse

1980 INRIA/IFAC Conference on Analysis and Optimization of Systems Versailles

1982 IFAC Workshop on Applications of Nonlinear Programming to Optimal Control Problems

Paris/Rocquencourt

1982 IFAC Symposium on Control of Distributed Parameter Systems Toulouse

1982 IFAC/IMEKO/IFIP Conference on Components and Instruments for Distributed Computer Control Systems Paris

1982 INRIA/IFAC Conference on Analysis & Optimization of Systems Instruments for Distributed Computer Control Systems Versailles

1983 IMACS/IFAC Symposium on Simulation in Engineering Sciences Nantes

1983 IFAC/IFIP/IFORS Symposium on Fuzzy Information, Knowledge Representation and Decision Analysis Marseille

1983 IFAC Workshop on Human Gait Analysis and Applications Montpellier

1984 INRIA/IFAC Conference on Analysis and Optimization of Systems Nice

1985 IFIP/IFAC Conference on Software for Discrete Manufacturing Paris

1985 10th IFAC Symposium on Automatic Control in Space Toulouse

1986 IMACS/IFAC Symposium on Modelling and Simulation for Control of Lumped and Distributed Systems Lille

1986 INRIA/IFAC Conference on Analysis and Optimization of Systems Antibes

1986 IFAC/IFIP/IFORS Conference on Economics and Artificial Intelligence Aix-en-Provence

1986 IFAC/IFIP Workshop on Safety of Computer Control Systems Sarlat

1987 IFAC Workshop on Sensors and Actuators in Distributed Parameter Systems Perpignan

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IFAC events in France (1967-1998)

1988 INRIA/IFAC Conference on Analysis and Optimization of Systems Antibes

1988 INRIA/IFAC Workshop on Bellman Continuum Nice/Sophia

1988 INRIA/IFAC Symposium on Differential Games and Applications Nice/Sophia

1989 IFAC Workshop on Control Applications of Nonlinear Programming and Optimization Paris

1989 IFAC/IMACS/IFIP Symposium on Control of Distributed Parameter Systems Perpignan

1989 IFAC/IFORS/IMACS/IEE Conference on Advanced Information Processing in Automatic Control Nancy

1989 IFAC/IFIP/IFORS Symposium on Control, Computers, Communications in Transportation Paris

1990 INRIA/IIASA/IEEE/SIAM Conference on Analysis and Optimization of Systems Antibes

1990 IFORS/IFIP/IIASA/IASC Conference on Economics and Artificial Intelligence Paris

1991 IMACS/IFAC Workshop on Decision Support Systems and Qualitative Reasoning Toulouse

1991 IFIP/IFAC Conference on Computer Applications in Production and Engineering Bordeaux

1992 IFAC Symposium on Nonlinear Control Systems Design Bordeaux

1992 IFAC Symposium on Adaptive Control and Signal Processing Grenoble

1992 IEEE/MBS/IFAC Conference, 4th Annual Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society Paris

1993 IFIP/IFAC Conference on System Modelling and Optimization Compiègne

1994 IFAC Workshop on Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Integration Grenoble

1995 IFAC Conference on System Structure and Control Nantes

1995 IFAC Workshop on Distributed Computer Control Systems Toulouse

1995 IFAC Workshop on Intelligent Components for Autonomous and Semi-Autonomous Vehicles Toulouse

1997 IFAC/IMACS/IFIP Conference on Control of Industrial Systems Belfort

1997 IFAC Symposium on Intelligent Components and Instruments for Control Applications Annecy

1997 IFAC/IFIP/IMACS/IEEE Symposium on Robot Control Nantes

1997 IFAC/IFIP Workshop on Real Time Programming Lyon

1998 IFAC Workshop on On Line Fault Detection and Supervision in the Chemical Process Industries Lyon/Solaize

1998 IFAC/IFIP/CIRP Symposium on Information Control Problems in Manufacturing Nancy

1998 INRIA/IEEE/IFAC Conference on Advances in Vehicle Control and Safety Amiens

1998 IFAC Workshop on Linear Time Delay Systems Grenoble

1998 IFAC Conference on System Structure and Control Nantes

1998 IFAC Workshop on Motion Control Grenoble

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IFAC events in France (1999-2007)

Between 1999 and 2007, 22 IFAC-sponsored events and four IFAC co-sponsored events were organised under the auspices of the SEE and GdR CNRS MACS.

Year Event Venue Attendance

2000 IFAC/IFIP/IFORS Conference on Management and Control of Production and Logistic – MCPL 2000

Grenoble 221

2001 IFIP/IEEE/IFAC Conference on Feature Modelling and Advanced Design for the Life Cycle Systems – FEATS 2001

Valenciennes 60

2001 IFAC Conference on Fieldbus Systems and their applications – FeT2001

Nancy 102

2003 1st IFAC Conference on Analysis and Design of Hybrid Systems– ADHS 2003

Saint-Malo 108

2003 IFAC Workshop on Time Delay Systems – TDS’03

Paris/Rocquencourt

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2004 IFAC Symposium on Computer Applications in Biotechnology– CAB 9

Nancy 123

2004 IFAC Workshop on Fractional Differentiation and its Applications– FDA’04

Bordeaux 109

2004 IFAC Workshop on Internet Based Control Education– IBCE’04

Grenoble 50

2004 11th IFAC Symposium on Automation in Mining, Mineral and Metal Processing – MMM 2004

Nancy 150

2004 IFAC 7th Workshop on Discrete Event Systems– WODES04

Reims 128

2006 2nd Interop/IFAC Conference on Interoperability for Enterprise Software and Applications – I-ESA’06

Bordeaux 178

2006 13th IFAC Workshop on Control Applications of Optimization– CAO 06

Paris/Cachan 105

2006 12th IFAC/IFIP/IMS/IEEE Symposium on Information Control Problems in Manufacturing – INCOM’06

Saint-Etienne 783

2006 9th IFAC/IEEE Symposium on Automated Systems Based on Human Skill and Knowledge – ASBoHS’06

Nancy 102

2006 1st IFAC Conference on Analysis and Control of Chaotic Systems– CHAOS’06

Reims 98

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IFAC events in France (1999-2007)

Year Event Venue

2009 15th IFAC/IEEE Symposium on System Identification – SYSID’09

Saint-Malo

2009 5th IFAC Workshop on Control of Distributed Parameter Systems – CPDS’09

Toulouse

2010 12th IFAC IEEE/IMACS Symposium on Large Scale Systems – LSS’10

Lille

2010 11th IFAC Symposium on Analysis, Design, and Evaluation of Human-Machine Systems – HMS’10

Valenciennes

2006 5th IFAC Symposium on Robust Control Design– ROCOND’06

Toulouse 194

2006 6th IFAC/IEEE/IUPESM/IMEKO Symposium on Modelling and Control in Biomedical Systems – MCBMS’06

Reims 133

2006 IFAC Workshop on Nonlinear Model Predictive Control for Fast Systems – NMPC_FS’06

Grenoble 60

2007 4th INSTICC/IFAC Conference on Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics – ICINCO 2007

Angers 324

2007 1st IFAC Workshop on Dependable Control of Discrete Systems – DCDS’07

Paris/Cachan 105

2007 3rd Strep/IFAC Workshop on Networked Control Systems: Tolerant to Faults – NeCST’07

Nancy 65

2007 17th IFAC Symposium on Automatic Control in Aerospace– ACA’07

Toulouse 228

2007 6th IFAC Symposium on Intelligent Autonomous Vehicles– IAV’07

Toulouse 128

2007 7th IFAC Workshop on Time Delay Systems– TDS’07

Nantes 68

2007 3rd IFAC Workshop on Advanced Fuzzy and Neural Control– AFNC’07

Valenciennes 45

2007 7th IFAC Conference on Fieldbus and Networks for Industrial and Embedded Systems – FET’07

Toulouse 82

Currently in preparation

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Concluding remark

Lille (2)

Valenciennes (3)Amiens (2)

Saint-Malo (2)

Compiègne (2)

Versailles (3)Paris (12)

Angers (1)Nantes (5)

Bordeaux (4)

Sarlat (1)

Lyon (2)Saint-Etienne (1)

Grenoble (7)

Nice (5)

Antibes (3)

Aix-en-Provence (1)Montpellier (1)

Perpignan (2)

Toulouse (14)

Marseille (1)

Reims (3)

Nancy (7)

Belfort (1)

Annecy (1)France

The IFAC story in France is the result of the collective enthusiastic efforts of the French automatic control community. Among the 25 French cities that have had the privilege of hosting IFAC events, Toulouse led the field with 14 events organised, as indicated on the accompanying map. Several views are shown below as a souvenir from Toulouse, which looks forward to hosting a forthcoming IFAC World Congress, and welcoming our IFAC friends.

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Concluding remark

Acknowledgements

The French NMO and the authors of this report acknowledge with thanks:• Barbara Aumann and other members of the IFAC Secretariat for the valuable information provided• CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) and its ST2I department• SEE (Société de l’Electricité, de l’Electronique et des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication)• GdR MACS of CNRS (Groupement de Recherche en Modélisation, Analyse et Conduite des Systèmes dynamiques) and PPF MACS• French Ministry of Higher Education and Research• University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne