Optimal Networked Piecewise Affine Control Systems

申请人研究的总体目标是开发一种通用方法，用于分析和执行具有分布式传感和控制的网络系统的最佳节能设计。应用将集中在无人机（UAV）网络上。飞行器网络具有解决许多监控问题的强大潜力，例如管道，电力线和街道交通。它们对于在危险气体和化学品泄漏的建筑物内进行搜索和救援或检查也很重要。拟议的研究将解决一个重要的开放问题，增加了一个新的视角，把两个有前途的领域：最优分段仿射控制和网络控制。所提出的策略预计是能源效率，从而有助于更大的耐力为每个代理节省电池电量。这项研究将通过为自动驾驶汽车网络提供更安全，更经济可行的解决方案而使加拿大受益。

The overall goal of the applicant's research is to develop a general-purpose methodology for analyzing and performing optimal energy efficient design of networked systems with distributed sensing and control. Applications will focus on networks of uninhabited air vehicles (UAVs). Networks of flying vehicles hold a strong potential to solve many surveillance problems such as pipelines, power lines, and street traffic. They are also important for search and rescue or inspection inside buildings with dangerous gas and chemical leaks. The proposed research will address an important open problem adding a new perspective by bringing together two promising areas: optimal piecewise-affine control and networked control. The proposed strategies are expected to be energy efficient and thus contribute to larger endurance for each agent by saving battery power. This research will benefit Canada by providing safer and economically more viable solutions for networks of autonomous vehicles.**