Journal Special Issue on Control and Intelligent Systems in
Humanitarian Technologies

Control and Intelligent Systems
An International Journal published by ACTA press established in 1972
Papers due: 30.07.2008

In an ideal world, all engineering and technology related research
should serve humankind and try to solve hard problems facing humanity
and therefore should be inherently humanitarian. This call for papers
is for the world’s first journal special issue on Humanitarian
Technologies, focusing on the use of control and intelligent systems.
The special issue will also attempt to identify technological
challenges in control and intelligent systems in this vast area. In
the spirit of this unique special issue that is expected to be
circulated widely crossing boundaries between rich and poor nations on
earth the publishers have kindly agreed to make all accepted papers
freely available electronically.

What constitutes humanitarian technology? Any technology serving
humanity to solve urgent humanitarian problems is the simple answer.
Control and intelligent systems are extensively applied in these
areas. The world witnessed innovative solutions after natural
catastrophes, human created destructions and a combination of both in
the recent past. The Boxing Day tsunami in 2004 challenged engineering
practices ranging from building constructions to early warning
systems.  It prompted international research collaboration to limit
destruction in possible future tsunamis. The destruction of life and
resources due to acts of terrorism has created the need for a range of
humanitarian technologies. Tens of millions of mines are still active
in 80 or more countries and it is believed that a victim of this human
made disaster is found every 20 minutes. Demining is a prominent
technology that has a strong use of control and intelligent systems.
Rehabilitation and research on prostheses and biomechanical systems
are other examples of engineering research that uses control and
intelligent systems.  The wide area of environmental engineering
supporting to limit the effects of overuse of resources and control
emissions is another important area of humanitarian technology.


Topics and examples that use and extend control and intelligent
systems research are:

1. Humanitarian Engineering
Humanitarian demining robotics, biological and biomemetic systems
Sensors and sensor systems in Humanitarian applications
Early warning systems for natural disasters
On-line monitoring of natural disasters
Image processing for humanitarian actions such as location of missing
airplanes
Technology Transfer for Humanitarian use


2. Health and Medical applications
Artificial organs and rehabilitation
Genetic and medical research
Emergency disease control and tracking

3. Environmental applications
Environmental sustainability of industries
Water purification and preservation
Environmental Bioengineering

4. Logistics
Disaster management
Supply Chain Management in Humanitarian work
Command and control of multiple organizations in humanitarian missions

5. Arts and Culture
User friendly and culturally sensitive humanitarian product design and
deployment
Technological innovation in preserving cultural heritage of indigenous
communities

Deadlines:

Paper Submissions: 30.07.2008
Reviews available:  30.09.2008
Publication of the issue: 15.12.2008


Submission Instructions:
The authors directly upload their papers by the deadline using the
electronic submission site at http://www.actapress.com/review and by
choosing the correct journal Control and Intelligent Systems. Please
include in the title field of the paper the text "Humanitarian
Technology Special Issue" to ensure that the paper is considered for
the special issue.

Guest Editors:

Saman Halgamuge
Department of Mechanical Engineering
School of Engineering
University of Melbourne, Vic 3010, Australia
Phone: +61 3 83445587, Email: saman@unimelb.edu.au
http://www.mame.mu.oz.au/mechatronics/cis08/

Thrish Nanayakkara
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Harvard University, Room 238, Maxwell Dworkin
33 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Phone: +1 617-460-2256, Email: thrish@seas.harvard.edu