| Summary |
Reliable remote control of machines is needed in various applications such as medical and healthcare systems, financial systems, disaster protection/recovery, building management, and manufacturing in factory. The communication channels available for such applications are not always reliable. If a controller and a machine are separated by a considerable distance and connected by the Internet, they will encounter communication delays and packet losses. Bit errors are inevitable if wireless links are used in harsh radio environments, such as in factories with high noise levels. This keynote speech outlines interesting features of remote control systems with imperfect communication channels. For example, there are differences in communication requirements in M2M(Machine to Machine) and conventional human communication systems with voice and video. Cross-layer optimization of control and communication is possible, as the behavior of machines can be predictable and described by mathematical equations. When a human is a part of a system, such as a remote machine operation by an operator, the overall performance of the system depends on human factors, including the proficiency and fatigue of the operator. In such a case, the system design with cross-layer optimization of human and machine factors is an important topic that should be discussed. |