Fractional-Order Circuits and Systems: An Emerging Interdisciplinary Research Area

A recent article published in this magazine [1] has labeled fractional-order continuous-time systems as the 21st century systems. Indeed, this emerging research area is slowly gaining momentum among electrical engineers while its deeply rooted mathematical concepts also slowly migrate to various engineering disciplines. A very important aspect of research in fractional-order circuits and systems is that it is an interdisciplinary subject. Specifically, it is an area where biochemistry, medicine and electrical engineering over-lap giving rise to many new potential applications. This article aims to provide an overview of the current status of research in this area, highlighting specific problems which need to be addressed particularly by electrical engineers.