Cutting-edge technologies in Control and Dynamic Systems discussed in Porto – with INESC TEC taking centre stage

In an event characterised by the connection between academia and industry, the major role of cutting-edge technologies in Control and Dynamic Systems was highlighted, particularly in the fields of Robust Control and Linear Parameter-Varying Systems, across multiple areas of science and society.

For three days, the city of Porto hosted not one, but two of the leading international conferences in the domains of Robust Control and Linear Parameter Varying (LPV) systems. With over 100 participants from 20 countries, the joint organisation of the 11^th Symposium on Robust Control Design (ROCOND’25) and the 6^th Workshop on Linear Parameter Varying Systems (LPVS’25) enabled the discussion of topics and presentation of research with impact in diverse sectors: energy, industry, robotics, transportation and healthcare.

Paulo Lopes dos Santos, a researcher at INESC TEC in Robotics and Autonomous Systems, recalled that the joint initiative began in 2023, when the determination of a group of researchers turned into “a carefully prepared national application,” presented at that year’s World Congress of the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC).

In total, 103 papers were submitted to the event, reinforcing one of the main goals of this conference: “the direct connection between academia and industry, promoting knowledge transfer and the solving of real-world challenges.” Notably, several key industry players took part, including the Renault Group, Deimos Engenharia (Elecnor Deimos), Deimos Space, and the European Space Agency (ESA).

In addition to the sessions held at the Colégio de Nossa Senhora de Lourdes between July 2 and 4, the event also visited the INESC TEC laboratory at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto. Here, international participants had the opportunity to explore the institute’s ongoing work and lay the groundwork for potential international collaborations.

According to Paulo Lopes dos Santos, INESC TEC’s role in organising ROCOND’25/LPVS’25 helped strengthen the Institute’s position as a scientific reference in advanced areas of Control and Dynamic Systems, while also demonstrating key organisational capabilities – yet another example of the “ability to host major international events following a demanding selection process.”

The researcher mentioned in this news piece is associated with the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto