Guest Editorial Special Section on Advanced Signal and Image Processing Techniques for Electric Machines and Drives Fault Diagnosis and Prognosis

With the expansion of the use of electrical drive systems to more critical applications, the issue of reliability and fault mitigation and condition-based maintenance have consequently taken an increasing importance: it has become a crucial one that cannot be neglected or dealt with in an ad-hoc way. As a result research activity has increased in this area, and new methods are used, some based on a continuation and improvement of previous accomplishments, while others are applying theory and techniques in related areas. This Special Section of the IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics attracted a number of papers dealing with Advanced Signal and Image Processing Techniques for Electric Machine and Drives Fault Diagnosis and Prognosis. This editorial aims to put these contributions in context, and highlight the new ideas and directions therein.