Foreword from the Editor-in-Chief

Following the discussions at the Eighth International Conference on Condition Monitoring and Machinery Failure Prevention Technologies in Cardiff, UK, as a part of the International So­ciety for Condition Monitoring activity, preparation for publishing a special issue of the scientific journal "Modeling and Data Analysis" devoted to mathematical modeling and data analysis appli­cations in condition monitoring, started in September 2011. Now I am pleased to introduce the results.

In this issue the following topics are considered:

− Statistical methods for synthesis and identification of hidden Markov models

− Novel algorithms for dynamic monitoring of electrocardiogram waveforms

− Application of robust statistics in vibration time histories analysis

− Applications of hidden Markov models in technical diagnostics

− Methods of acoustical signal analysis used for condition monitoring

− Methods of adaptive testing professional skills during education quality control

− Acoustic monitoring of structural and operational system conditions

− Distribution study of canonical ensemble of open strings.

I am sure that this edition will promote useful interchange of scientific knowledge between specialists in different areas of condition monitoring and will contribute to successful develop­ment of the International Society for Condition Monitoring.

I am grateful to the British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing for permission to publish some papers presented at the International Conferences on Condition Monitoring and Machinery Failure Prevention Technologies in 2009-2011.

Lev Kuravsky