Sensor tasking utilizing deep reinforcement learning in a random finite set framework

There is a growing need to increase the capabilities of existing sensor arrays to monitor a large amount of space objects orbiting the Earth with a limited number of opportunities to observe these objects. Due to geopolitical considerations and financial cost, it is infeasible to create an array of sensors that can monitor each space object and accurately describe its state. Instead of brute force techniques by increasing the number of sensors worldwide, the current advancements in computational capability along with new algorithms for multi-target filtering and reinforcement learning has allowed a pathway to begin solving the non-myopic, heterogenous sensor tasking problem. This work employs the labeled multi-Bernoulli filter in conjunction with advanced, deep reinforcement learning techniques such as the policy gradient Q-learning algorithm and deep Q-networks. The filter and reinforcement learning techniqures are used together to track ten targets in geosynchronous orbit, while a linear Kalman filter and the reinforcement learning techniques are used to evaluate their effectiveness in multi-agent learning scenarios. The future deployment of these algorithms and their specific logistical considerations are also discussed with potential solutions.Aerospace Engineerin

Estimation and control of multi-object systems with high-fidenlity sensor models: A labelled random finite set approach

Principled and novel multi-object tracking algorithms are proposed, that have the ability to optimally process realistic sensor data, by accommodating complex observational phenomena such as merged measurements and extended targets. Additionally, a sensor control scheme based on a tractable, information theoretic objective is proposed, the goal of which is to optimise tracking performance in multi-object scenarios. The concept of labelled random finite sets is adopted in the development of these new techniques

Random Finite Set Theory and Optimal Control of Large Collaborative Swarms

Controlling large swarms of robotic agents has many challenges including, but not limited to, computational complexity due to the number of agents, uncertainty in the functionality of each agent in the swarm, and uncertainty in the swarm's configuration. This work generalizes the swarm state using Random Finite Set (RFS) theory and solves the control problem using Model Predictive Control (MPC) to overcome the aforementioned challenges. Computationally efficient solutions are obtained via the Iterative Linear Quadratic Regulator (ILQR). Information divergence is used to define the distance between the swarm RFS and the desired swarm configuration. Then, a stochastic optimal control problem is formulated using a modified L2^2 distance. Simulation results using MPC and ILQR show that swarm intensities converge to a target destination, and the RFS control formulation can vary in the number of target destinations. ILQR also provides a more computationally efficient solution to the RFS swarm problem when compared to the MPC solution. Lastly, the RFS control solution is applied to a spacecraft relative motion problem showing the viability for this real-world scenario.Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1801.0731

Multi-Bernoulli Sensor-Control via Minimization of Expected Estimation Errors

This paper presents a sensor-control method for choosing the best next state of the sensor(s), that provide(s) accurate estimation results in a multi-target tracking application. The proposed solution is formulated for a multi-Bernoulli filter and works via minimization of a new estimation error-based cost function. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method can outperform the state-of-the-art methods in terms of computation time and robustness to clutter while delivering similar accuracy