NEURAL NETWORKS IMPROVE CONTROL

Neural control using artificial neural networks is a new and emerging technology, and a few controllers based on this approach have been shipped. However, methods based on artificial neural networks have potential for superior control of plants which have nonlinear dynamics, a problem with conventional control. After a short review of artificial neural networks, some ways in which this method can be used for proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control of plants with nonlinear dynamics are described. An example is included to indicate the superior closed-loop performance that can be achieved by using a PID controller enhanced with an artificial neural network for the compensation of process nonlinearities.