Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Experimental Investigation of the Hierarchical Control in DC Microgrids Using a Real-time Simulator
Published on: February 14, 2025
A dual-networks architecture of top-down control
Nico U F Dosenbach1, Damien A Fair, Alexander L Cohen
1Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, 4525 Scott Ave, St Louis, MO 63110, USA. ndosenbach@wustl.edu
Abstract:
Complex systems ensure resilience through multiple controllers acting at rapid and slower timescales. The need for efficient information flow through complex systems encourages small-world network structures. On the basis of these principles, a group of regions associated with top-down control was examined. Functional magnetic resonance imaging showed that each region had a specific combination of control signals; resting-state functional connectivity grouped the regions into distinct 'fronto-parietal' and 'cingulo-opercular' components. The fronto-parietal component seems to initiate and adjust control; the cingulo-opercular component provides stable 'set-maintenance' over entire task epochs. Graph analysis showed dense local connections within components and weaker 'long-range' connections between components, suggesting a small-world architecture. The control systems of the brain seem to embody the principles of complex systems, encouraging resilient performance.
Related Concept Videos
Hierarchy of Motor Control
Control Systems
At the heart...
Feedback control systems
Linear feedback systems are theoretical models that simplify analysis and design. These systems operate under the principle that their output is directly proportional to their input within certain ranges. For instance, an amplifier in a control system behaves linearly as long as the input signal remains within a specific range. However, most physical systems exhibit inherent nonlinearity...
Diencephalon: Thalamus and Information Relay
Open and closed-loop control systems
An open-loop control system operates without feedback from the output. It consists of two primary elements: the controller and the controlled process. The controller receives an input signal and...
Multi-input and Multi-variable systems
In the absence of...