Feedback control system with an additive disturbance in the context of biological sciences

Abstract

In introductory engineering courses, the analysis of closed-loop control systems with additive disturbance usually involves electromechanical devices. Such control systems deserve to be studied by their own merits, but the significance of this analysis might be highlighted by means of some examples outside the pure engineer domains. Here we propose a simplified model of the avian/mammalian thermoregulatory system responsible for temperature control in order to show how the key concepts of closed-loop systems could emerge in a different context. Our expectations are to improve and to give alternative paths for the study of this type of control systems.