Collaborative Research: Algorithms for Design of Structured Distributed Controllers with Application to Large-Scale Vehicular Formations

该奖项介绍了新的理论和计算工具，用于设计大规模系统的结构化最优控制器。标准的最优设计方法导致控制器需要在所有子系统之间进行通信。在非常大的系统中，这是一个昂贵的方案，由于其广泛的通信，计算和硬件要求。PI将利用某些分布式控制问题所固有的特殊结构，如不变性和对称性，来开发一个与集中式设计相比的本地化控制框架。这项研究将导致控制器的设计，预先指定的本地化和通信架构，并在全球成本泛函方面是最佳的。教育方面是围绕一个新的分布式系统课程的发展。这将包括新的入门课程，将熟悉本科和硕士水平的学生与分布式系统的分析和设计的工具。这些课程将强调实际应用和物理解释。该奖项将通过为具有大量单个组件的系统提供最佳本地化控制来实现重大技术进步。将特别注意大规模车辆编队的最优控制策略的设计。PI将以独特的跨学科方式培训参与学生;他们还将联合组织研讨会，旨在汇集学生，研究人员和行业专业人士的广泛受众。这些讲习班将加强拟议工作的跨学科性质，并促进控制理论和工程实践之间的知识转移。外展部分包括PI参与公共研讨会，讨论控制工程在将自然飞行者、跑步者和游泳者采用的集体决策策略转化为工程应用方面的重要性。

This award introduces new theoretical and computational tools for the design of structured optimal controllers for large-scale systems. Standard optimal design methods result in controllers that demand communication among all subsystems. In very large systems, this is a costly scheme due to its extensive communication, computation, and hardware requirements. The PIs will utilize special structures inherent to certain distributed control problems, such as invariances and symmetries, to develop a framework for localized control which compares to that available for centralized design. This research will result in the design of controllers that posses pre-specified localization and communication architectures, and are optimal with respect to global cost functionals. The educational aspect is centered around the development of a new distributed systems curriculum. This will include new introductory courses that will familiarize undergraduate and master-level students with the tools for analysis and design of distributed systems. These courses will emphasize practical applications and physical interpretations.This award will lead to significant technological advances by enabling the optimal localized control for systems with large number of individual components. Particular attention will be paid to the design of optimal control strategies for large-scale vehicular formations. The PIs will train participating students in a unique interdisciplinary fashion; they will also jointly organize workshops aimed at bringing together a broad audience of students, researchers, and industry professionals. These workshops will enhance a cross-disciplinary character of the proposed work and facilitate transfer of knowledge between the control theory and engineering practice. The outreach component includes the PIs' engagement in public seminars discussing the importance control engineering in transforming the collective decision making strategies employed by natural fliers, runners, and swimmers to engineering applications.