This introductory chapter is devoted to reviewing the fundamental ideas of
control from a multivariable point of view. In some cases, the mathematics
and operations on systems (modelling, pole placement, etc.), as previously
treated in introductory courses and textbooks, convey to the readers an un-
realistic image of systems engineering. The simplifying assumptions, simple
examples and “perfect” model set-up usually used in these scenarios present
the control problem as a pure mathematical problem, sometimes losing the
physical meaning of the involved concepts and operations. We try to empha-
sise the engineering implication of some of these concepts and, before entering
into a detailed treatment of the different topics, a general qualitative overview
is provided in this chapter.
