The first Intelligent Controls for Particle Accelerators workshop was held at Daresbury Laboratory, Tuesday-Wednesday 30th-31st January 2018. The goal of the workshop was to ferment cooperation and discuss future developments in this growing field of AI application to Particle Accelerators. A welcome address was given by Lab Director Professor Susan Smith, who made a convincing case for more advanced control methods as Particle Accelerators continue to develop.
The workshop first learned about the various hardware issues involved in operating an accelerator facility and how one could adapt legacy control systems to suit modern control methods. Many of the talks were focussed on the application of AI techniques to a variety of different particle accelerator subsystems, such as electron gun water cooling system, high power RF system, and particle orbit control systems. Modern beam-based feedback systems in use at various international facilities was then presented while outlining a path forward to address limitations of the present control systems using advanced AI-type control policies.
The workshop ended with a lively discussion on the future of AI-type accelerator control systems, what diagnostic data from current machines is needed and how the community may better collaborate in this area.
The ICPA workshop was made possible with sponsorship from the IET, IOP, ASTeC and the Cockcroft Institute
