Abstract The control systems field has a rich legacy of continuous improvement in control “techniques”. Today we are developing powerful “intelligent control” methods which incorporate adaptation, learning, self diagnosis and reconfiguration/repair. In addition, we are developing “active control systems” which use control intelligence and other attributes which promise dramatic performance beyond all our prior accomplishments. At the same time that dramatic advancements have occurred in control “methodologies”, there has been a parallel evolution in control hardware. Smaller, lower power sensors provide more accurate information regarding system operation; actuators provide more efficient, higher precision control inputs; and controller hardware now performs much more complex algorithms. More powerful electronics, developed over the last two decades, have made these hardware advancements possible. Microprocessors, Digital Signal Processors, and other powerful electronics have been a key contributor to these advancements. By incorporating these electronics, today's control engineers may use “Smart Sensors”, “Smart Actuators”, and “Intelligent Controllers” in their control system designs. Furthermore, plans within the electronics field guarantee that future control systems can be fabricated with even greater capabilities.