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

最优控制领域关注的是找到以最佳方式操纵系统的方法。最优控制的最新研究主要集中在输入变量是连续值的系统上，但许多现实世界的系统是通过离散输入变量来控制的，这些变量假设来自有限集的值-例如“开/关”，“开/关”，“1/2/3档”。该项目将通过开发新的理论和计算工具来优化约束非线性系统中的离散输入变量，从而彻底改变最优控制领域。这些新成果将用于解决页岩气开采、色谱分析、管道运输和微型机器人等领域的关键问题。

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.