Download or read book Bayesian Estimation by Sequential Monte Carlo Sampling for Nonlinear Dynamic Systems written by Wen-shiang Chen and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: Precise estimation of state variables and model parameters is essential for efficient process operation, including model predictive control, abnormal situation management, and decision making under uncertainty. Bayesian formulation of the estimation problem suggests a general solution for all types of systems. Even though the theory of Bayesian estimation of nonlinear dynamic systems has been available for decades, practical implementation has not been feasible due to computational and methodological challenges. Consequently, most existing methods rely on simplifying assumptions to obtain a tractable but approximate solution. For example, extended Kalman filtering (EKF) linearizes the process model and assumes Gaussian prior and noise. Moving horizon based least-squares estimation (MHE) also assumes Gaussian or other fixed-shape prior and noise to obtain a least-squares optimization problem. MHE can impose constraints, but is non-recursive and requires computationally expensive nonlinear or quadratic programming. This dissertation introduces sequential Monte Carlo sampling (SMC) for Bayesian estimation of chemical process systems. This recent approach approximates computationally expensive integration by recursive Monte Carlo sampling, and can obtain accurate estimates of posterior distributions efficiently with minimum assumptions. This approach has not been systematically compared with estimation methods popular for chemical processes, including EKF and MHE. In addition to comparing various estimation methods, this dissertation also develops a practical framework of SMC for handling process constraints based on an acceptance/rejection algorithm. Furthermore, a novel empirical Bayes approach is developed to deal with practical challenges due to degeneracy and a poor initial guess. The ability of the proposed approach to be more computationally efficient and at least as accurate as MHE is demonstrated via several case studies. A high-dimensional polymerization process is particularly studied to examine the effect of increasing dimensionality on computation load. Empirical results indicate that SMC does not necessarily increase its consumption of CPU cycles dramatically, and may only be slightly dependent on dimensionality. Although this research has only focused on data rectification of nonlinear dynamic systems, the approach is broadly applicable to most process engineering tasks. With increasing computational ability, and theoretical advances, SMC is expected to be an active area of research and application in near future.

Download or read book Bayesian Estimation by Sequential Monte Carlo Sampling written by Wen-Shiang Chen and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Sequential Monte Carlo Methods for Nonlinear Discrete Time Filtering written by Marcelo G. and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-06-01 with total page 87 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In these notes, we introduce particle filtering as a recursive importance sampling method that approximates the minimum-mean-square-error (MMSE) estimate of a sequence of hidden state vectors in scenarios where the joint probability distribution of the states and the observations is non-Gaussian and, therefore, closed-form analytical expressions for the MMSE estimate are generally unavailable. We begin the notes with a review of Bayesian approaches to static (i.e., time-invariant) parameter estimation. In the sequel, we describe the solution to the problem of sequential state estimation in linear, Gaussian dynamic models, which corresponds to the well-known Kalman (or Kalman-Bucy) filter. Finally, we move to the general nonlinear, non-Gaussian stochastic filtering problem and present particle filtering as a sequential Monte Carlo approach to solve that problem in a statistically optimal way. We review several techniques to improve the performance of particle filters, including importance function optimization, particle resampling, Markov Chain Monte Carlo move steps, auxiliary particle filtering, and regularized particle filtering. We also discuss Rao-Blackwellized particle filtering as a technique that is particularly well-suited for many relevant applications such as fault detection and inertial navigation. Finally, we conclude the notes with a discussion on the emerging topic of distributed particle filtering using multiple processors located at remote nodes in a sensor network. Throughout the notes, we often assume a more general framework than in most introductory textbooks by allowing either the observation model or the hidden state dynamic model to include unknown parameters. In a fully Bayesian fashion, we treat those unknown parameters also as random variables. Using suitable dynamic conjugate priors, that approach can be applied then to perform joint state and parameter estimation. Table of Contents: Introduction / Bayesian Estimation of Static Vectors / The Stochastic Filtering Problem / Sequential Monte Carlo Methods / Sampling/Importance Resampling (SIR) Filter / Importance Function Selection / Markov Chain Monte Carlo Move Step / Rao-Blackwellized Particle Filters / Auxiliary Particle Filter / Regularized Particle Filters / Cooperative Filtering with Multiple Observers / Application Examples / Summary

Download or read book Sequential Monte Carlo Methods in Practice written by Arnaud Doucet and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-03-09 with total page 590 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Monte Carlo methods are revolutionizing the on-line analysis of data in many fileds. They have made it possible to solve numerically many complex, non-standard problems that were previously intractable. This book presents the first comprehensive treatment of these techniques.

Download or read book Sequential Monte Carlo Methods for Data Assimilation in Strongly Nonlinear Dynamics written by Zhiyu Wang and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Data assimilation is the process of estimating the state of dynamic systems (linear or nonlinear, Gaussian or non-Gaussian) as accurately as possible from noisy observational data. Although the Three Dimensional Variational (3D-VAR) methods, Four Dimensional Variational (4D-VAR) methods and Ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) methods are widely used and effective for linear and Gaussian dynamics, new methods of data assimilation are required for the general situation, that is, nonlinear non-Gaussian dynamics. General Bayesian recursive estimation theory is reviewed in this thesis. The Bayesian estimation approach provides a rather general and powerful framework for handling nonlinear, non-Gaussian, as well as linear, Gaussian estimation problems. Despite a general solution to the nonlinear estimation problem, there is no closed-form solution in the general case. Therefore, approximate techniques have to be employed. In this thesis, the sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) methods, commonly referred to as the particle filter, is presented to tackle non-linear, non-Gaussian estimation problems. In this thesis, we use the SMC methods only for the nonlinear state estimation problem, however, it can also be used for the nonlinear parameter estimation problem. In order to demonstrate the new methods in the general nonlinear non-Gaussian case, we compare Sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) methods with the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) by performing data assimilation in nonlinear and non-Gaussian dynamic systems. The models used in this study are referred to as state-space models. The Lorenz 1963 and 1966 models serve as test beds for examining the properties of these assimilation methods when used in highly nonlinear dynamics. The application of Sequential Monte Carlo methods to different fixed parameters in dynamic models is considered. Four different scenarios in the Lorenz 1063 [sic] model and three different scenarios in the Lorenz 1996 model are designed in this study for both the SMC methods and EnKF method with different filter size from 50 to 1000. The comparison results show that the SMC methods have theoretical advantages and also work well with highly nonlinear Lorenz models for state estimation in practice. Although Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) computes only the mean and the variance of the state, which is based on linear state-space models with Gaussian noise, the SMC methods do not outperform EnKF in practical applications as we expected in theoretical insights. The main drawback of Sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) methods is that it requires much computational power, which is the obstacle to extend SMC methods to high dimensional atmospheric and oceanic models. We try to interpret the reason why the SMC data assimilation result is similar to the EnKF data assimilation result in these experiments and discuss the potential future application for high dimensional realistic atmospheric and oceanic models in this thesis.

Download or read book Sequential Monte Carlo Methods for Nonlinear Discrete time Filtering written by Marcelo G. S. Bruno and published by Morgan & Claypool Publishers. This book was released on 2013 with total page 101 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In these notes, we introduce particle filtering as a recursive importance sampling method that approximates the minimum-mean-square-error (MMSE) estimate of a sequence of hidden state vectors in scenarios where the joint probability distribution of the states and the observations is non-Gaussian and, therefore, closed-form analytical expressions for the MMSE estimate are generally unavailable. We begin the notes with a review of Bayesian approaches to static (i.e., time-invariant) parameter estimation. In the sequel, we describe the solution to the problem of sequential state estimation in linear, Gaussian dynamic models, which corresponds to the well-known Kalman (or Kalman-Bucy) filter. Finally, we move to the general nonlinear, non-Gaussian stochastic filtering problem and present particle filtering as a sequential Monte Carlo approach to solve that problem in a statistically optimal way. We review several techniques to improve the performance of particle filters, including importance function optimization, particle resampling, Markov Chain Monte Carlo move steps, auxiliary particle filtering, and regularized particle filtering. We also discuss Rao-Blackwellized particle filtering as a technique that is particularly well-suited for many relevant applications such as fault detection and inertial navigation. Finally, we conclude the notes with a discussion on the emerging topic of distributed particle filtering using multiple processors located at remote nodes in a sensor network. Throughout the notes, we often assume a more general framework than in most introductory textbooks by allowing either the observation model or the hidden state dynamic model to include unknown parameters. In a fully Bayesian fashion, we treat those unknown parameters also as random variables. Using suitable dynamic conjugate priors, that approach can be applied then to perform joint state and parameter estimation.

Download or read book Accelerating Monte Carlo methods for Bayesian inference in dynamical models written by Johan Dahlin and published by Linköping University Electronic Press. This book was released on 2016-03-22 with total page 139 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Making decisions and predictions from noisy observations are two important and challenging problems in many areas of society. Some examples of applications are recommendation systems for online shopping and streaming services, connecting genes with certain diseases and modelling climate change. In this thesis, we make use of Bayesian statistics to construct probabilistic models given prior information and historical data, which can be used for decision support and predictions. The main obstacle with this approach is that it often results in mathematical problems lacking analytical solutions. To cope with this, we make use of statistical simulation algorithms known as Monte Carlo methods to approximate the intractable solution. These methods enjoy well-understood statistical properties but are often computational prohibitive to employ. The main contribution of this thesis is the exploration of different strategies for accelerating inference methods based on sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) and Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC). That is, strategies for reducing the computational effort while keeping or improving the accuracy. A major part of the thesis is devoted to proposing such strategies for the MCMC method known as the particle Metropolis-Hastings (PMH) algorithm. We investigate two strategies: (i) introducing estimates of the gradient and Hessian of the target to better tailor the algorithm to the problem and (ii) introducing a positive correlation between the point-wise estimates of the target. Furthermore, we propose an algorithm based on the combination of SMC and Gaussian process optimisation, which can provide reasonable estimates of the posterior but with a significant decrease in computational effort compared with PMH. Moreover, we explore the use of sparseness priors for approximate inference in over-parametrised mixed effects models and autoregressive processes. This can potentially be a practical strategy for inference in the big data era. Finally, we propose a general method for increasing the accuracy of the parameter estimates in non-linear state space models by applying a designed input signal. Borde Riksbanken höja eller sänka reporäntan vid sitt nästa möte för att nå inflationsmålet? Vilka gener är förknippade med en viss sjukdom? Hur kan Netflix och Spotify veta vilka filmer och vilken musik som jag vill lyssna på härnäst? Dessa tre problem är exempel på frågor där statistiska modeller kan vara användbara för att ge hjälp och underlag för beslut. Statistiska modeller kombinerar teoretisk kunskap om exempelvis det svenska ekonomiska systemet med historisk data för att ge prognoser av framtida skeenden. Dessa prognoser kan sedan användas för att utvärdera exempelvis vad som skulle hända med inflationen i Sverige om arbetslösheten sjunker eller hur värdet på mitt pensionssparande förändras när Stockholmsbörsen rasar. Tillämpningar som dessa och många andra gör statistiska modeller viktiga för många delar av samhället. Ett sätt att ta fram statistiska modeller bygger på att kontinuerligt uppdatera en modell allteftersom mer information samlas in. Detta angreppssätt kallas för Bayesiansk statistik och är särskilt användbart när man sedan tidigare har bra insikter i modellen eller tillgång till endast lite historisk data för att bygga modellen. En nackdel med Bayesiansk statistik är att de beräkningar som krävs för att uppdatera modellen med den nya informationen ofta är mycket komplicerade. I sådana situationer kan man istället simulera utfallet från miljontals varianter av modellen och sedan jämföra dessa mot de historiska observationerna som finns till hands. Man kan sedan medelvärdesbilda över de varianter som gav bäst resultat för att på så sätt ta fram en slutlig modell. Det kan därför ibland ta dagar eller veckor för att ta fram en modell. Problemet blir särskilt stort när man använder mer avancerade modeller som skulle kunna ge bättre prognoser men som tar för lång tid för att bygga. I denna avhandling använder vi ett antal olika strategier för att underlätta eller förbättra dessa simuleringar. Vi föreslår exempelvis att ta hänsyn till fler insikter om systemet och därmed minska antalet varianter av modellen som behöver undersökas. Vi kan således redan utesluta vissa modeller eftersom vi har en bra uppfattning om ungefär hur en bra modell ska se ut. Vi kan också förändra simuleringen så att den enklare rör sig mellan olika typer av modeller. På detta sätt utforskas rymden av alla möjliga modeller på ett mer effektivt sätt. Vi föreslår ett antal olika kombinationer och förändringar av befintliga metoder för att snabba upp anpassningen av modellen till observationerna. Vi visar att beräkningstiden i vissa fall kan minska ifrån några dagar till någon timme. Förhoppningsvis kommer detta i framtiden leda till att man i praktiken kan använda mer avancerade modeller som i sin tur resulterar i bättre prognoser och beslut.

Download or read book An Introduction to Sequential Monte Carlo written by Nicolas Chopin and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-10-01 with total page 378 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a general introduction to Sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) methods, also known as particle filters. These methods have become a staple for the sequential analysis of data in such diverse fields as signal processing, epidemiology, machine learning, population ecology, quantitative finance, and robotics. The coverage is comprehensive, ranging from the underlying theory to computational implementation, methodology, and diverse applications in various areas of science. This is achieved by describing SMC algorithms as particular cases of a general framework, which involves concepts such as Feynman-Kac distributions, and tools such as importance sampling and resampling. This general framework is used consistently throughout the book. Extensive coverage is provided on sequential learning (filtering, smoothing) of state-space (hidden Markov) models, as this remains an important application of SMC methods. More recent applications, such as parameter estimation of these models (through e.g. particle Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques) and the simulation of challenging probability distributions (in e.g. Bayesian inference or rare-event problems), are also discussed. The book may be used either as a graduate text on Sequential Monte Carlo methods and state-space modeling, or as a general reference work on the area. Each chapter includes a set of exercises for self-study, a comprehensive bibliography, and a “Python corner,” which discusses the practical implementation of the methods covered. In addition, the book comes with an open source Python library, which implements all the algorithms described in the book, and contains all the programs that were used to perform the numerical experiments.

Download or read book Bayesian Estimation and Tracking written by Anton J. Haug and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2012-05-29 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A practical approach to estimating and tracking dynamic systems in real-worl applications Much of the literature on performing estimation for non-Gaussian systems is short on practical methodology, while Gaussian methods often lack a cohesive derivation. Bayesian Estimation and Tracking addresses the gap in the field on both accounts, providing readers with a comprehensive overview of methods for estimating both linear and nonlinear dynamic systems driven by Gaussian and non-Gaussian noices. Featuring a unified approach to Bayesian estimation and tracking, the book emphasizes the derivation of all tracking algorithms within a Bayesian framework and describes effective numerical methods for evaluating density-weighted integrals, including linear and nonlinear Kalman filters for Gaussian-weighted integrals and particle filters for non-Gaussian cases. The author first emphasizes detailed derivations from first principles of eeach estimation method and goes on to use illustrative and detailed step-by-step instructions for each method that makes coding of the tracking filter simple and easy to understand. Case studies are employed to showcase applications of the discussed topics. In addition, the book supplies block diagrams for each algorithm, allowing readers to develop their own MATLAB® toolbox of estimation methods. Bayesian Estimation and Tracking is an excellent book for courses on estimation and tracking methods at the graduate level. The book also serves as a valuable reference for research scientists, mathematicians, and engineers seeking a deeper understanding of the topics.

Download or read book Particle Filters for Random Set Models written by Branko Ristic and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-04-15 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book discusses state estimation of stochastic dynamic systems from noisy measurements, specifically sequential Bayesian estimation and nonlinear or stochastic filtering. The class of solutions presented in this book is based on the Monte Carlo statistical method. Although the resulting algorithms, known as particle filters, have been around for more than a decade, the recent theoretical developments of sequential Bayesian estimation in the framework of random set theory have provided new opportunities which are not widely known and are covered in this book. This book is ideal for graduate students, researchers, scientists and engineers interested in Bayesian estimation.

Download or read book Bayesian Signal Processing written by James V. Candy and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2011-09-20 with total page 404 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New Bayesian approach helps you solve tough problems in signal processing with ease Signal processing is based on this fundamental concept—the extraction of critical information from noisy, uncertain data. Most techniques rely on underlying Gaussian assumptions for a solution, but what happens when these assumptions are erroneous? Bayesian techniques circumvent this limitation by offering a completely different approach that can easily incorporate non-Gaussian and nonlinear processes along with all of the usual methods currently available. This text enables readers to fully exploit the many advantages of the "Bayesian approach" to model-based signal processing. It clearly demonstrates the features of this powerful approach compared to the pure statistical methods found in other texts. Readers will discover how easily and effectively the Bayesian approach, coupled with the hierarchy of physics-based models developed throughout, can be applied to signal processing problems that previously seemed unsolvable. Bayesian Signal Processing features the latest generation of processors (particle filters) that have been enabled by the advent of high-speed/high-throughput computers. The Bayesian approach is uniformly developed in this book's algorithms, examples, applications, and case studies. Throughout this book, the emphasis is on nonlinear/non-Gaussian problems; however, some classical techniques (e.g. Kalman filters, unscented Kalman filters, Gaussian sums, grid-based filters, et al) are included to enable readers familiar with those methods to draw parallels between the two approaches. Special features include: Unified Bayesian treatment starting from the basics (Bayes's rule) to the more advanced (Monte Carlo sampling), evolving to the next-generation techniques (sequential Monte Carlo sampling) Incorporates "classical" Kalman filtering for linear, linearized, and nonlinear systems; "modern" unscented Kalman filters; and the "next-generation" Bayesian particle filters Examples illustrate how theory can be applied directly to a variety of processing problems Case studies demonstrate how the Bayesian approach solves real-world problems in practice MATLAB notes at the end of each chapter help readers solve complex problems using readily available software commands and point out software packages available Problem sets test readers' knowledge and help them put their new skills into practice The basic Bayesian approach is emphasized throughout this text in order to enable the processor to rethink the approach to formulating and solving signal processing problems from the Bayesian perspective. This text brings readers from the classical methods of model-based signal processing to the next generation of processors that will clearly dominate the future of signal processing for years to come. With its many illustrations demonstrating the applicability of the Bayesian approach to real-world problems in signal processing, this text is essential for all students, scientists, and engineers who investigate and apply signal processing to their everyday problems.

Download or read book Bayesian Estimation for Nonlinear Dynamic Systems written by Huazhen Fang and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 165 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Estimation of unknown quantities in a nonlinear dynamic system has been a challenge of great interest and importance, which is encountered in different research fields. Founded on a perspective of updating probabilistic belief on unknown quantities with observations, Bayesian analysis has provided a useful methodology and framework for construction of various estimation techniques. This dissertation presents a study of some new developments and applications of Bayesian estimation theory. Both filtering and smoothing will be considered --- the former concerns estimation of the present situation using measurements up until the present time, and the latter is about estimation of the past using all the measurements. In the dissertation, we investigate both state estimation and simultaneous input and state estimation. For the former, Bayesian filtering in a Gaussian context is discussed. We propose to use the radial basis function approximation as a desirable option to realize the Gaussian state filtering. We then improve the standard ensemble Kalman filter by introducing iterative optimization. Simultaneous input and state estimation has emerged as a new challenge. We extend the Bayesian methodology to deal with this problem and consider both filtering and smoothing cases. The Bayesian paradigms are built as a statistical foundation to fulfill this task, are built. On such a basis, we then develop a series of estimation methods using iterative optimization and Monte Carlo-based ensemble approaches. We further examine the link between our methods and the existing ones and analyze their properties especially in the linear case. The dissertation also studies application of estimation techniques to some real-world issues. We investigate real-time state-of-charge estimation for batteries, proposing an adaptive method based on multi-model state estimation. It allows for accurate estimation in the presence of uncertain or unknown variables and can promote the battery monitoring performance and operational safety potentially. The other application presented is oceanic flow field reconstruction. Flows exist everywhere in the ocean, playing a crucial role in many aspects of marine environment and biology. As part of a collaborative effort with Scripps Institution of Oceanography to build an original ocean observing system based on a group of drifters, we apply the simultaneous input and state estimation methods proposed to analyze the data collected by drifters to estimate the flow velocity and monitor the drifter's motion status. This work can be conducive to future endeavors in oceanographic research.

Download or read book Bayesian Filtering and Smoothing written by Simo Särkkä and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2013-09-05 with total page 255 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A unified Bayesian treatment of the state-of-the-art filtering, smoothing, and parameter estimation algorithms for non-linear state space models.

Download or read book Dynamics and Control of Process Systems 2004 written by Sirish Shah and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2005-06-10 with total page 540 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Monte Carlo Strategies in Scientific Computing written by Jun S. Liu and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-11-11 with total page 350 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a self-contained and up-to-date treatment of the Monte Carlo method and develops a common framework under which various Monte Carlo techniques can be "standardized" and compared. Given the interdisciplinary nature of the topics and a moderate prerequisite for the reader, this book should be of interest to a broad audience of quantitative researchers such as computational biologists, computer scientists, econometricians, engineers, probabilists, and statisticians. It can also be used as a textbook for a graduate-level course on Monte Carlo methods.

Download or read book Bayesian Inference of State Space Models written by Kostas Triantafyllopoulos and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-11-12 with total page 503 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bayesian Inference of State Space Models: Kalman Filtering and Beyond offers a comprehensive introduction to Bayesian estimation and forecasting for state space models. The celebrated Kalman filter, with its numerous extensions, takes centre stage in the book. Univariate and multivariate models, linear Gaussian, non-linear and non-Gaussian models are discussed with applications to signal processing, environmetrics, economics and systems engineering. Over the past years there has been a growing literature on Bayesian inference of state space models, focusing on multivariate models as well as on non-linear and non-Gaussian models. The availability of time series data in many fields of science and industry on the one hand, and the development of low-cost computational capabilities on the other, have resulted in a wealth of statistical methods aimed at parameter estimation and forecasting. This book brings together many of these methods, presenting an accessible and comprehensive introduction to state space models. A number of data sets from different disciplines are used to illustrate the methods and show how they are applied in practice. The R package BTSA, created for the book, includes many of the algorithms and examples presented. The book is essentially self-contained and includes a chapter summarising the prerequisites in undergraduate linear algebra, probability and statistics. An up-to-date and complete account of state space methods, illustrated by real-life data sets and R code, this textbook will appeal to a wide range of students and scientists, notably in the disciplines of statistics, systems engineering, signal processing, data science, finance and econometrics. With numerous exercises in each chapter, and prerequisite knowledge conveniently recalled, it is suitable for upper undergraduate and graduate courses.

Download or read book Handbook of Approximate Bayesian Computation written by Scott A. Sisson and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2018-09-03 with total page 679 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As the world becomes increasingly complex, so do the statistical models required to analyse the challenging problems ahead. For the very first time in a single volume, the Handbook of Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) presents an extensive overview of the theory, practice and application of ABC methods. These simple, but powerful statistical techniques, take Bayesian statistics beyond the need to specify overly simplified models, to the setting where the model is defined only as a process that generates data. This process can be arbitrarily complex, to the point where standard Bayesian techniques based on working with tractable likelihood functions would not be viable. ABC methods finesse the problem of model complexity within the Bayesian framework by exploiting modern computational power, thereby permitting approximate Bayesian analyses of models that would otherwise be impossible to implement. The Handbook of ABC provides illuminating insight into the world of Bayesian modelling for intractable models for both experts and newcomers alike. It is an essential reference book for anyone interested in learning about and implementing ABC techniques to analyse complex models in the modern world.