Distributed H∞ consensus filtering of stochastic systems with markovian coupling intercommunication delays

This paper deals with the problem of distributed H∞ consensus filtering for a continuous-time Itô-type stochastic system with Wiener process disturbances and Markovian coupling intercommunication delays. The problem is solved based on distributed H∞ filters in combination with consensus strategies. The set of filter nodes form a communication network whose topology is modeled by a directed graph that describes estimates exchanged among neighboring nodes. A refined technique is provided to tackle the complicated coupling of the exchanged estimates in the presence of random coupling intercommunication delays. Moreover, a sufficient condition on the existence of desired distributed H∞ consensus-based filters is established such that the resultant filter error system is mean square exponentially stable with a weighting H∞ consensus performance index. The filter design problem is posed in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Finally an illustrative example is given to show the effectiveness of the proposed filter design method. © 2013 IEEE

Distributed H∞ consensus filtering of stochastic systems with markovian coupling intercommunication delays

This paper deals with the problem of distributed H∞ consensus filtering for a continuous-time Itô-type stochastic system with Wiener process disturbances and Markovian coupling intercommunication delays. The problem is solved based on distributed H∞ filters in combination with consensus strategies. The set of filter nodes form a communication network whose topology is modeled by a directed graph that describes estimates exchanged among neighboring nodes. A refined technique is provided to tackle the complicated coupling of the exchanged estimates in the presence of random coupling intercommunication delays. Moreover, a sufficient condition on the existence of desired distributed H∞ consensus-based filters is established such that the resultant filter error system is mean square exponentially stable with a weighting H∞ consensus performance index. The filter design problem is posed in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Finally an illustrative example is given to show the effectiveness of the proposed filter design method. © 2013 IEEE.Associated Grant:Australian Research Council Discovery Projects; Research Advancement Awards Scheme Program; Qianjiang talent project of Zhejiang Province; Natural Science Foundation of ChinaAssociated Grant Code:DP1096780; 2010R10010; 61074187; 6077405

Resilience-Building Technologies: State of Knowledge -- ReSIST NoE Deliverable D12

This document is the first product of work package WP2, "Resilience-building and -scaling technologies", in the programme of jointly executed research (JER) of the ReSIST Network of Excellenc

A cumulative index to a continuing bibliography on aeronautical engineering

This bibliography is a cumulative index to the abstracts contained in NASA-SP-7037(184) through NASA-SP-7037(195) of Aeronautical Engineering: A Continuing Bibliography. NASA SP-7037 and its supplements have been compiled through the cooperative efforts of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This cumulative index includes subject, personal author, corporate source, foreign technology, contract, report number, and accession number indexes

On Musical Self-Similarity : Intersemiosis as Synecdoche and Analogy

Self-similarity, a concept borrowed from mathematics, is gradually becoming a keyword in musicology. Although a polysemic term, self-similarity often refers to the multi-scalar feature repetition in a set of relationships, and it is commonly valued as an indication for musical ‘coherence’ and ‘consistency’. In this study, Gabriel Pareyon presents a theory of musical meaning formation in the context of intersemiosis, that is, the translation of meaning from one cognitive domain to another cognitive domain (e.g. from mathematics to music, or to speech or graphic forms). From this perspective, the degree of coherence of a musical system relies on a synecdochic intersemiosis: a system of related signs within other comparable and correlated systems. The author analyzes the modalities of such correlations, exploring their general and particular traits, and their operational bounds. Accordingly, the notion of analogy is used as a rich concept through its two definitions quoted by the Classical literature—proportion and paradigm, enormously valuable in establishing measurement, likeness and affinity criteria. At the same time, original arguments by Benoît B. Mandelbrot (1924–2010) are revised, alongside a systematic critique of the literature on the subject. In fact, connecting Charles S. Peirce’s ‘synechism’ with Mandelbrot’s ‘fractality’ is one of the main developments of the present study

Building networks of Markov decision processes to achieve synchronised behaviour from complex multi-agent systems

Complex multi-agent systems, consisting of multiple decision making agents as part of a larger collective, are particularly complex control problems, because of the potential for emergent (and potentially undesirable or even unsafe) behaviours to arise from the interaction between separate agents. When a number of autonomous systems interact with one another, be they robotic systems, intelligent software agents, or autonomous vehicles, they can become a complex multi-agent system, potentially prone to emergent behaviours. Understanding, controlling and assuring complex multi-agent systems is a difficult challenge for the systems engineer, through all stages of the engineering lifecycle. There is often no simple mechanism to control the behaviour of the whole, and no established formal techniques for system proving. The underpinning mathematics is too far removed from the systems of years gone by for established techniques to be transferrable. This thesis takes a fresh look at this topic using the mathematical framework of complexity science and theoretical aspects of systems science to begin to tackle this knotty problem domain. Synchronised robotics is a concept introduced for this PhD to describe systems consisting of multiple robotic appendages acting independently based on simple control logic, but unbeknownst to the individual robots also acting as part of a carefully choreographed collective system. Synchronised robotics provides an ideal application area from which to develop and explore an exemplar scenario. Production line robotics are the chosen exemplar. This thesis shows how systems science principles can be utilised to represent all kinds of complex multi-agent system, with different internal network structures between decision nodes mirroring the myriad of ways that a systems architect might choose to construct his or her system. It then proceeds to show how to generalise the Markov Decision Process (MDP) formulation to these networks, to produce models of interactive autonomy. This novel approach to systems design and proving is brought to life through application to the production line robotics exemplar, for which a mathematical model based on the processes and techniques described has been built, tested, and initial results obtained demonstrating the potential efficacy of the approach for capturing the complex behaviours displayed, providing a control mechanism with improved resilience to correcting undesirable emergent behaviours, and pointing a way towards a potential future system proving tool for multi-agent systems