[.ca] Feedback Control Systems: A Fast-Track Guide for ... (ISBN 0792379357)

Exactly what you need to get started:
Here was my assignment: Make a proof of concept system that points a laser at a moving target. My problem: I knew how to write the software, I knew how to put the hardware together, but, I had no idea what to put in my feedback loop to make this thing track. Oh yeah, I had to do this in two weeks. So I read part of this book (my suggestion is start in the middle and read the math section when you /need/ to understand something in more depth) and I completed the assignment on time. End result: I am not an expert on control systems theory, but by reading this book, I was able to get up and running in a matter of days.

A Must Have!:
I'm a physics grad student and needed to frequency stabilize a laser using a rather complicated feedback system. I had no controls theory background but needed to "get up to speed" fast--this book did it! If you are faced with designing a working feedback system and are not a controls theory expert, this book is the single most useful reference you would ever hope to find. The explanations are intuitive and the practical advice indispensible. This book saved me many weeks on the learning curve. I was able to understand and measure the most challenging aspects of my particular system and clearly see how to predict performance. It's very streamlined: the emphasis is clearly to deliver the relevant information with the least amount of overhead. As such, the only missing part of the book that I wanted is a list of references. Recognizing the insight of the authors, I would have liked a list of their favorite controls publications!