Y/sub E/-system

The Y/sub E/-system, a structure for controlling large-scale systems, is proposed. The Y/sub E/-system does not have a hierarchical structure; each subsystem has the same goal function. They all pursue the final goal of the whole system and are therefore collectively called a fate sharing group. This system structure appears in the traditional Japanese production system. To build a Y/sub E/-system, each subsystem is required to have the ability to make a decision based on information on the whole system. Compared with hierarchical systems, this system has many superior points, i.e. robustness, high reliability, and high quality. The author discusses the basic notion of the Y/sub E/-system and shows an example for controlling an ultra multi-links manipulator.<<ETX>>