The Battles

Dr. Madan M. Gupta passed away on November 8, 2021 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada from gastrointestinal tract complications.

Condensed Professional Biography of Dr. Madan M. Gupta

At the University of Saskatchewan, Dr. Gupta was a distinguished research chair, engineering professor, and founder and director of the Intelligent Systems Research Laboratory. In 2021, Stanford University recognized Dr. Gupta as being within the top 1% of researchers in the world based on his publications.

Dr. Gupta authored or coauthored over 1000 reviewed and published research papers. He coauthored the seminal book Static and Dynamic Neural Networks: From Fundamentals to Advanced Theory. Dr. Gupta previously coauthored Introduction to Fuzzy Arithmetic: Theory and Applications (the first book on fuzzy mathematics) and Fuzzy Mathematical Models in Engineering and Management Science. Both of these books have Japanese translations. Also, Dr. Gupta edited or coedited approximately 20 other research books as well as many conference proceeding books and journal special issues in the fields of his research interests such as adaptive control systems, fuzzy computing, neuro-computing, neuro-vision systems, and neuro-control systems.

In 1990, Dr. Gupta was elected fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for his contributions to the theory of fuzzy sets and adaptive control systems and for the advancement of the diagnosis of cardiovascular disease. In 1993, he was elected fellow of the International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE) for his contributions to the field of neuro-control and neuro-fuzzy systems. In 2001, he was also elected fellow of the International Fuzzy Systems Association (IFSA) for his contributions to fuzzy-neural computing systems.

In 2014, Dr. Gupta won the Bharat Gaurav Award (translates to Pride of India Award) in recognition of contributions and dedication to worthy causes and achievements. This award was conferred annually by the India International Friendship Society to people who have made outstanding contributions. Also, in 2014, Dr. Gupta won the Hind Rattan Award (translates to Jewel of India Award) in recognition of outstanding services, achievements, and contributions in his field. This award is conferred annually by the NRI Welfare Society of India to selected members of the worldwide Indian diaspora.

In 2018, Dr. Gupta was awarded a Token of Honour award from the IEEE PELS-IES Delhi Chapter. In 2003, Dr. Gupta won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Fifth Biannual World Automation Congress as well as an Exceptional Service Award at the International Symposium on Uncertainty Modeling and Analysis (ISUMA).

In 1998, Dr. Gupta was awarded the second Kaufmann Prize Gold Medal for his research in the field of fuzzy logic. This was presented in Reus, Spain by the Fundació per a l’Estudi de la Gestió en la Incertesa (FEGI), which is also known as the Foundation for the Study of Fuzzy Management, and the Sociedad Internacional de Gestión y Economia Fuzzy (SIGEF), which is also known as the International Association for Fuzzy Set Management and Economy. In 1991, Dr. Gupta was the co-recipient of the Institution of Electrical Engineers Kelvin Premium.

Dr. Gupta was elected as a visiting professor and a special advisor in the area of high technology to the European Centre for Peace and Development (ECPD), University for Peace, which was established by the United Nations. In 1991, he was invited by the ECPD to visit and lecture at about five industrial and research centers in India.

Dr. Gupta was on the editorial boards of over 15 journals in the field of fuzzy-neural and intelligent systems. Also, he participated in the initiation of some of these journals. He served as a founding member of some international societies such as the International Fuzzy Systems Association (IFSA), North American Fuzzy Information Processing Society (NAFIPS), and Canadian Fuzzy Information and Neural Society (CAN-FINS). He was on numerous research conference committees.

Dr. Gupta’s recent research interests were in the areas of nonlinear control, neuro-vision systems, neuro-control systems, integration of fuzzy-neural systems, neuronal morphology of biological vision systems, intelligent and cognitive robotic systems, cognitive information, new paradigms in information processing, chaos in neural systems, and fuzzy-neural logic in law. He was also developing some new architectures of computational neural networks and computational fuzzy neural networks for application to advanced robotics, aerospace, medical, industrial, and business systems and law. His interest also lay in signal and image processing with applications to medical systems.

Dr. Gupta was born in Lansdowne, India on April 10, 1936. He studied science at University of Allahabad and received his B.E. (Hons.) and M.E. degrees in electronics-communications engineering from the Birla Engineering College (now the Birla Institute of Technology and Science), Pilani, India in 1961 and 1962, respectively. He was awarded the university’s gold medal for being the top graduate. He got married on February 10, 1964. Shortly thereafter, he was awarded a prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship to continue his education in the United Kingdom. As a commonwealth scholar, he received his Ph.D. degree with a specialization in adaptive control systems from the University of Warwick in 1967. Then Dr. Gupta was recruited to be an engineering professor at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada starting in November 1967.

Over the next 54 years, Dr. Gupta was a prolific full-time researcher at the University of Saskatchewan. In the fall of 1998, for his extensive contributions in neuro-control, neuro-vision, and fuzzy-neural systems, Dr. Gupta was awarded an earned doctor of science (D.Sc.) degree by the University of Saskatchewan. In 2010, he was one of only four professors at the University of Saskatchewan who were honored with newly created appointments as distinguished research chairs (now distinguished professors) for “those whose research has contributed significantly to the enhancement of knowledge, whose scholarly activity and accomplishments have enriched selected areas of research, who are recognized nationally and internationally for their impact and leadership, and who set a high standard of research excellence and have demonstrated an outstanding and sustained distinction in research.” Furthermore, Dr. Gupta won a University of Saskatchewan Prime of Life Achievement Award and NSERC Outstanding Merit Award.

Dr. Gupta’s full-time research at the University of Saskatchewan started in November 1967, and he continued doing full-time research as the director of the Intelligent Systems Research Laboratory at the University of Saskatchewan until being hospitalized on October 5, 2021. The University of Saskatchewan previously stopped paying professors when they reached the age of 67. After that, they could pursue leisure activities or keep doing research without pay as professors emeritus. When Dr. Gupta turned 67 in 2003, despite having worked as a researcher and professor at the University of Saskatchewan for 36 years already in 2003, he decided to continue doing research without pay as a professor emeritus because he didn’t believe in retirement and was interested in continuing his research. Dr. Gupta continued doing full-time research without pay as a professor emeritus for another over 18 years at the University of Saskatchewan until he was hospitalized on October 5, 2021. During the over 54 years that Dr. Gupta was a prolific researcher at the University of Saskatchewan, he continuously supervised countless graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

Principal Research Contributions of Dr. Madan M. Gupta

1. Contributions to the General Field of Dynamic Sensitivity and Adaptivity in Feedback Control Systems:

1.1 Theory of dynamic sensitivity in adaptive control systems
(dynamics of the parameter perturbation processes);

1.2 Systems modelling and identification, and adaptive state observers;

1.3 Studies on some dynamic properties of nonlinear systems and hierarchical optimization methods;

1.4 Design and stability analysis of adaptive control systems using Liapunov signal synthesis approach and some other related approaches;

1.5 Applications of system identification and adaptive control methods to aircraft and robotics systems.

2. Contributions to the Field of Fuzzy Logic and Fuzzy logic Controllers and Fuzzy Neural Networks:

2.1 Fuzzy arithmetic and fuzzy mathematical modelling in engineering and management sciences;

2.2 Mathematical formulation of cognitive uncertainty, mathematics of fuzzy logic, fuzzy- neural morphology, and fuzzy optimization methods;

2.3 Fuzzy logic in the modelling and control of dynamic systems.

3. Contributions to the Field of Dynamic Neural Networks with Applications to Functional Approximations, Fuzzy-Neural Systems, Neuro-Control Systems and Neuro-Vision System with Applications to Robotics Systems:

3.1 Development of dynamic neural networks (DNN)
(new neural architectures, stability analysis, study of chaotic behaviours, and formulation of associative memory);

3.2 Modelling and functional approximation using dynamical neural networks;

3.3 Fuzzy-neural networks with applications to control and vision systems;

3.4 Neuro-control systems with applications to flexible space structures, robotics systems , and tracking problems;

3.5 Neuro-vision systems: theory, motion detection, and processing of dynamic images.

4. Contributions to the Field of Framed Cyclic- Random Processes with Its Applications to the Detection and Diagnosis of Incipient Failures in Cyclic Machines (TISA METHOD):

4.1 Study of framed cyclic random processes;

4.2 Detection and diagnosis of incipient failures in cyclic machines such as turbines, feed water pumps, etc.;

4.3 Development of the TISA (Theta-Invariant Signature Algorithm) for the detection, diagnosis, localization, and quantification of incipient failures in cyclic machines (such as turbines, generators, feed water pumps, etc.).

5. Contribution to the Field of Detection Diagnosis and Prognosis of Early as well as Advanced Ischemic Heart Disease:

5.1 Study of electrocardiac signals under normal and early as well as advanced ischemic cardiac abnormalities;

5.2 Development of the Phase-Invariant Signature Algorithm (PISA) for the detection and diagnosis of Ischemic heart diseases;

5.3 Study of Phonocardiac signals under normal and early as well as advanced i cardiac valvular abnormalities;

5.4 Development of the Phase-Invariant Signature Algorithm (PISA) for the detection and diagnosis of valvular heart problems.

6. Development of Novel Neural Methods for the Analysis of Stability and Design of Robust Controller for Nonlinear Systems:

6.1 The dynamic root-motion approach (DRMA), a novel approach for studying the dynamic characteristic and stability of nonlinear and time varying systems (for both continuous and discrete systems);

6.2 DRMA approach in the design of robust stable neuro-controller with self- learning and adaptive capabilities and for linear and nonlinear systems (both continuous and discrete systems);

6.3 Studying the frequency characteristics, such as bandwidth and damping ratio.

7. Fuzzy-Neural Approach in the Field of Law:

7.1 Mathematical formulation of linguistic description of human perception and cognitive processes using fuzzy arithmetic and fuzzy logic approach;

7.2 Design of fuzzy-neural algorithm (FNA) for individual or group decision making processes;

7.3 Application of fuzzy-neural algorithms (FNAs) in juror’s decision making in the Court of Law and other decision making processes.

General Explanation for People Who Aren’t Engineers of Research of Dr. Madan M. Gupta

Some fields that Dr. Madan M. Gupta did extensive research in are control systems, intelligent systems, computer vision, and biomedical engineering.

A control system uses control loops to manage, direct, command, or regulate the behaviour of other devices or systems. Control systems are used in all kinds of systems including thermostats, industrial automation systems, cars, trucks, airplanes, helicopters, ships, spacecraft, satellites, robots, hard drives, power systems, washing machines, dryers, etc.

Dr. Gupta made many advancements to the theory of control systems, particularly intelligent control systems, adaptive control systems, and nonlinear control systems. These advancements can be used wherever control systems are used.

Intelligent systems theory (also known as artificial intelligence) emulates human or animal intelligence in computers and robots. Intelligent systems are used in all kinds of applications including disease detection, disease diagnosis, drug discovery, other medical applications, data analysis, fake news detection, robot vacuums, robotic lawn mowers, other robots, pattern recognition, image processing, signal processing, voice recognition, self-driving cars, automated flight control, power system optimization, etc. Intelligent systems theory includes branches such as fuzzy logic and neural networks.

Dr. Gupta made many advancements to the theory of intelligent systems, particularly fuzzy logic, fuzzy mathematics, type-two fuzzy logic, neural networks, and higher order neural networks. These advancements can be used in all of the preceding intelligent systems applications. Also, Dr. Gupta made many advancements in applying intelligent systems theory to control systems, pattern recognition, image processing, computer vision, robotics, law, etc.

Image processing and computer vision have applications in self-driving cars, automated parking, collision avoidance, robotics, astronomy, cancer detection from medical imaging, equipment inspection, animal monitoring, other agriculture applications, etc. Dr. Gupta made many advancements to the theory of image processing and computer vision. These advancements can be used in all of the preceding image processing and computer vision applications.

Biomedical engineering involves the development of biological and medical systems and products. Dr. Gupta did extensive research in conjunction with a medical researcher on the detection, diagnosis, and prognosis of early as well as advanced ischemic heart disease using engineering methods including signal processing and a new algorithm.

Other Activities of Dr. Madan M. Gupta

In addition to an accomplished career, Dr. Gupta was a founding member of the Hindu Society of Saskatchewan. While serving as the president of the society from 1983 to 1985, he worked with the Saskatoon community to have the Shri Lakshmi Narayan Temple built. Dr. Gupta was an avid nonfiction reader, puzzle solver, and gardener. He grew a variety of vegetables and fruits every summer and shared them with his friends. Throughout his life, he was a strict vegetarian and never consumed a recreational substance. He enjoyed attending research conferences and traveling with his family to visit more family in India and explore other destinations around the world. Dr. Gupta was fluent in Hindi, Marwari, and English.