Optimal discrete-valued control strategies: A new direction in nonlinear optimal control

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The field of optimal control is concerned with finding ways to manipulate systems in the best possible manner. The latest research in optimal control focuses primarily on systems in which the input variables are continuous-valued, yet many real-world systems are controlled via discrete input variables that assume values from a finite set - such as "On/Off", "Open/Closed", "Gear 1/2/3". This project will revolutionise the field of optimal control through the development of new theory and computational tools for optimising discrete input variables in constrained nonlinear systems. The new results will be applied to solve critical problems in the areas of shale-gas extraction, chromatography, pipeline transportation, and micro-robots.