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Third International Congress on Cybernetics and Systems
CONFERENCE
THIRD INTERNATIONAL
NEWS
CONGRESS ON CYBERNETICS SYSTEMS
AND
The third International Congress on Cybernetics and Systems, organised by the World Organisation of General Systems and Cybernetics, was held in Bucharest, Romania, from 25 to 29 August, 1975. This event was held under the patronage of the President of Romania, Nicolae Ceausescu, and, at the opening ceremony in the magnificent Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest, the Prime Minister, Professor M. Manescu, welcomed over a thousand delegates from some thirty countries, together with members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of the state industrial and academic organisations. It soon became apparent to delegates why Romania-and the University of Bucharest in particular-was an ideal venue for a Cybernetics Congress. The country is in the midst of a long-term planning programme where much of the development and planning has been initiated in the University and is now centred in the Department of Economic Cybernetics in Bucharest. Consequently, although the Congress was concerned with all aspects of cybernetics, the papers presented by our hosts were of particular importance. Certainly those concerned with the modelling of economic systems were of interest, not only on theoretical grounds, but because they were to provide information for real life planning decisions concerning the state economy. Such a paper, presented by members of the Academy of Economic Studies (Professors Arsene, Focsaneanu et al.), was concerned with a cybernetic system of models for regional planning and prognosis and involved some big projects of water-amelioration in the Upper Mures region of Romania. Another paper on this theme looked at the utilisation of models of Socialist Economic Systems. In real terms, cybernetic modelling was being used in Romania for long-term industrial planning, where decisions concerning the location of industry and the balance between the agricultural and manufacturing industries were to be made. 235 ht. J. Bio-Medical Computing (7) (1976)-_O Applied Science Publishers Ltd, England, 1976 Printed in Great Britain
236
CONFERENCE
NEWS
Fortunately, not all the economic planning contributions were from the Eastern bloc and a paper describing a dynamic model to examine the economic structure and behaviour of the Northern Region of the UK was presented by Dr K. Telford (and R. Burdekin). It would be wrong to assume that interest was only centred on the topic of the Cybernetics of Economic Systems. Nearly 350 papers were presented in seven different sections: Systems and Models; Industrial Cybernetics; Cybernetics and the Environment; Communications, Education and Information; Artificial Intelligence and Neuro- and Bio-Cybernetics. Symposia concerned with Economic Cybernetics and Management, Systems Theory and Bio-Medical Computing aroused much interest and discussion. At the Bio-Medical Computing Symposium, Professor Anderson (UK) outlined the problems besetting Bio-medical Computing and talked of the difficulties of designing information systems needed for medical and administrative control. His own technique for decision-making, based on time-cycles, was of much interest. At any congress covering such wide fields of interest parallel sessions are inevitable. Most sections, however, had their dedicated participants who remained to listen and discuss each section paper. Section 5, concerned with Communications, Education and Information, was the outstanding exception. The group of participants changed by the minute, whilst the papers covered such diversified topics as computerised hospital administration and aspects of Secondary School computer education. The United Kingdom contributions in this section were well received, particularly the papers concerned with the Wythenshawe Hospital Project (B. Ashcroft and B. Berry) and Real-time Hospital Computing in the North Staffordshire Hospital Centre (Hutchinson and Smith) whilst Dr J. H. Fuller’s contribution on the use of a Hewlett-Packard model calculator system at Guy’s Hospital, London, indicated what could be accomplished when data processing techniques on mini-computers are applied to medical research. The open meetings and discussion forums, usually held in the evenings, were of particular interest. Signor Peccei, President of the Club of Rome, presided over discussions and lectures under the heading: ‘Prospects of Science and Technology in the next 30 years’. The two leading speakers were Dr S. L. Fawcett of Battelle Institute and Dr A. H. Chilvers, Vice-Chancellor of Cranfield Institute of Technology. Dr Fawcett reiterated what is now the well accepted list of world needs, criticised the existing methods of satisfying them, challenged our present decision-making process and called on the cyberneticians of the world to provide the solution to some of these problems. Dr Chilvers listed some of our achievements in science and technology, warned of the dangers of predictions but nevertheless staunchly foresaw progress in technology. In contrast to this open forum, which was very well attended in the Academy Assembly Hall, a few dozen delegates attended a hastily arranged meeting on ‘Computer Science in the Developing Countries’. This produced a show of ‘back-slapping’ by some Western delegates
CONFERENCENEWS
231
and a degree of condescension towards the developing countries which was hard to believe. This was the only occasion when underlying political motives were sensed. One of the social highlights of the Congress was the official banquet at the Athene Palace Hotel which was addressed by the Romanian Minister of Education. This provided the delegates with the rare opportunity of hearing Romanian folk music. Our hosts, the Romanian people and the Organising Committee are to be thanked and congratulated on the excellent facilities provided, and, perhaps of greater importance, for providing the right atmosphere for a truly international meeting. In conjunction with the Congress, the highly successful WORLD COMP75, an international computer exhibition, was organised by the WOGSC. Some 30,000 people visited what was surely a unique exhibition for Eastern Europe. The twenty-six exhibitors from nine countries who took part seemed particularly pleased with the response. I understand the exhibition is to be staged in another Eastern European country in two years time. What of the Congress as a whole? It certainly lived up to its aim of providing an international forum for an exchange of ideas and up to date information in the field of cybernetics. After London, Oxford and now Bucharest, the Congress is an accepted international event in the field of cybernetics. No comment on the Congress would be complete without mentioning Dr Rose, the Director-General, who has been the mainspring of three such successful Congresses. Long may he continue to guide and inspire their organisation. B. H. RUDALL
INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF COMPUTERS AND ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT The above exhibition was held in Bucharest, Romania, from 25 to 30 August, 1975 under the high patronage of the President of the Romanian Republic, Mr Nicolae CeauSescu. This event, organised in conjunction with the Romanian Chamber of Commerce, was held in the splendid Palace of the Republic, in the very centre of the capital. The select nature of the exhibition was matched by the impressive surroundings and facilities generously provided by the Romanian Government at the inspiration of the President of the Republic. Over 30,000 visitors attended the exhibition, many from overseas, including Australia, China, Brazil, Iran, Kuwait, the USA, the USSR and India. The countries of Eastern Europe were well represented and there were also many visitors from Western Europe. Most of the 1200 delegates to the Third International Congress of Cybernetics and Systems, which was held at the same time in Bucharest, also made their way to the exhibition. The exhibition was opened on Monday, 25 August, 1975,
THIRD INTERNATIONAL
NEWS
CONGRESS ON CYBERNETICS SYSTEMS
AND
The third International Congress on Cybernetics and Systems, organised by the World Organisation of General Systems and Cybernetics, was held in Bucharest, Romania, from 25 to 29 August, 1975. This event was held under the patronage of the President of Romania, Nicolae Ceausescu, and, at the opening ceremony in the magnificent Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest, the Prime Minister, Professor M. Manescu, welcomed over a thousand delegates from some thirty countries, together with members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of the state industrial and academic organisations. It soon became apparent to delegates why Romania-and the University of Bucharest in particular-was an ideal venue for a Cybernetics Congress. The country is in the midst of a long-term planning programme where much of the development and planning has been initiated in the University and is now centred in the Department of Economic Cybernetics in Bucharest. Consequently, although the Congress was concerned with all aspects of cybernetics, the papers presented by our hosts were of particular importance. Certainly those concerned with the modelling of economic systems were of interest, not only on theoretical grounds, but because they were to provide information for real life planning decisions concerning the state economy. Such a paper, presented by members of the Academy of Economic Studies (Professors Arsene, Focsaneanu et al.), was concerned with a cybernetic system of models for regional planning and prognosis and involved some big projects of water-amelioration in the Upper Mures region of Romania. Another paper on this theme looked at the utilisation of models of Socialist Economic Systems. In real terms, cybernetic modelling was being used in Romania for long-term industrial planning, where decisions concerning the location of industry and the balance between the agricultural and manufacturing industries were to be made. 235 ht. J. Bio-Medical Computing (7) (1976)-_O Applied Science Publishers Ltd, England, 1976 Printed in Great Britain
236
CONFERENCE
NEWS
Fortunately, not all the economic planning contributions were from the Eastern bloc and a paper describing a dynamic model to examine the economic structure and behaviour of the Northern Region of the UK was presented by Dr K. Telford (and R. Burdekin). It would be wrong to assume that interest was only centred on the topic of the Cybernetics of Economic Systems. Nearly 350 papers were presented in seven different sections: Systems and Models; Industrial Cybernetics; Cybernetics and the Environment; Communications, Education and Information; Artificial Intelligence and Neuro- and Bio-Cybernetics. Symposia concerned with Economic Cybernetics and Management, Systems Theory and Bio-Medical Computing aroused much interest and discussion. At the Bio-Medical Computing Symposium, Professor Anderson (UK) outlined the problems besetting Bio-medical Computing and talked of the difficulties of designing information systems needed for medical and administrative control. His own technique for decision-making, based on time-cycles, was of much interest. At any congress covering such wide fields of interest parallel sessions are inevitable. Most sections, however, had their dedicated participants who remained to listen and discuss each section paper. Section 5, concerned with Communications, Education and Information, was the outstanding exception. The group of participants changed by the minute, whilst the papers covered such diversified topics as computerised hospital administration and aspects of Secondary School computer education. The United Kingdom contributions in this section were well received, particularly the papers concerned with the Wythenshawe Hospital Project (B. Ashcroft and B. Berry) and Real-time Hospital Computing in the North Staffordshire Hospital Centre (Hutchinson and Smith) whilst Dr J. H. Fuller’s contribution on the use of a Hewlett-Packard model calculator system at Guy’s Hospital, London, indicated what could be accomplished when data processing techniques on mini-computers are applied to medical research. The open meetings and discussion forums, usually held in the evenings, were of particular interest. Signor Peccei, President of the Club of Rome, presided over discussions and lectures under the heading: ‘Prospects of Science and Technology in the next 30 years’. The two leading speakers were Dr S. L. Fawcett of Battelle Institute and Dr A. H. Chilvers, Vice-Chancellor of Cranfield Institute of Technology. Dr Fawcett reiterated what is now the well accepted list of world needs, criticised the existing methods of satisfying them, challenged our present decision-making process and called on the cyberneticians of the world to provide the solution to some of these problems. Dr Chilvers listed some of our achievements in science and technology, warned of the dangers of predictions but nevertheless staunchly foresaw progress in technology. In contrast to this open forum, which was very well attended in the Academy Assembly Hall, a few dozen delegates attended a hastily arranged meeting on ‘Computer Science in the Developing Countries’. This produced a show of ‘back-slapping’ by some Western delegates
CONFERENCENEWS
231
and a degree of condescension towards the developing countries which was hard to believe. This was the only occasion when underlying political motives were sensed. One of the social highlights of the Congress was the official banquet at the Athene Palace Hotel which was addressed by the Romanian Minister of Education. This provided the delegates with the rare opportunity of hearing Romanian folk music. Our hosts, the Romanian people and the Organising Committee are to be thanked and congratulated on the excellent facilities provided, and, perhaps of greater importance, for providing the right atmosphere for a truly international meeting. In conjunction with the Congress, the highly successful WORLD COMP75, an international computer exhibition, was organised by the WOGSC. Some 30,000 people visited what was surely a unique exhibition for Eastern Europe. The twenty-six exhibitors from nine countries who took part seemed particularly pleased with the response. I understand the exhibition is to be staged in another Eastern European country in two years time. What of the Congress as a whole? It certainly lived up to its aim of providing an international forum for an exchange of ideas and up to date information in the field of cybernetics. After London, Oxford and now Bucharest, the Congress is an accepted international event in the field of cybernetics. No comment on the Congress would be complete without mentioning Dr Rose, the Director-General, who has been the mainspring of three such successful Congresses. Long may he continue to guide and inspire their organisation. B. H. RUDALL
INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF COMPUTERS AND ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT The above exhibition was held in Bucharest, Romania, from 25 to 30 August, 1975 under the high patronage of the President of the Romanian Republic, Mr Nicolae CeauSescu. This event, organised in conjunction with the Romanian Chamber of Commerce, was held in the splendid Palace of the Republic, in the very centre of the capital. The select nature of the exhibition was matched by the impressive surroundings and facilities generously provided by the Romanian Government at the inspiration of the President of the Republic. Over 30,000 visitors attended the exhibition, many from overseas, including Australia, China, Brazil, Iran, Kuwait, the USA, the USSR and India. The countries of Eastern Europe were well represented and there were also many visitors from Western Europe. Most of the 1200 delegates to the Third International Congress of Cybernetics and Systems, which was held at the same time in Bucharest, also made their way to the exhibition. The exhibition was opened on Monday, 25 August, 1975,