28,640 research outputs found
Randomized Constraints Consensus for Distributed Robust Linear Programming
In this paper we consider a network of processors aiming at cooperatively
solving linear programming problems subject to uncertainty. Each node only
knows a common cost function and its local uncertain constraint set. We propose
a randomized, distributed algorithm working under time-varying, asynchronous
and directed communication topology. The algorithm is based on a local
computation and communication paradigm. At each communication round, nodes
perform two updates: (i) a verification in which they check-in a randomized
setup-the robust feasibility (and hence optimality) of the candidate optimal
point, and (ii) an optimization step in which they exchange their candidate
bases (minimal sets of active constraints) with neighbors and locally solve an
optimization problem whose constraint set includes: a sampled constraint
violating the candidate optimal point (if it exists), agent's current basis and
the collection of neighbor's basis. As main result, we show that if a processor
successfully performs the verification step for a sufficient number of
communication rounds, it can stop the algorithm since a consensus has been
reached. The common solution is-with high confidence-feasible (and hence
optimal) for the entire set of uncertainty except a subset having arbitrary
small probability measure. We show the effectiveness of the proposed
distributed algorithm on a multi-core platform in which the nodes communicate
asynchronously.Comment: Accepted for publication in the 20th World Congress of the
International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC
Scalable Approach to Uncertainty Quantification and Robust Design of Interconnected Dynamical Systems
Development of robust dynamical systems and networks such as autonomous
aircraft systems capable of accomplishing complex missions faces challenges due
to the dynamically evolving uncertainties coming from model uncertainties,
necessity to operate in a hostile cluttered urban environment, and the
distributed and dynamic nature of the communication and computation resources.
Model-based robust design is difficult because of the complexity of the hybrid
dynamic models including continuous vehicle dynamics, the discrete models of
computations and communications, and the size of the problem. We will overview
recent advances in methodology and tools to model, analyze, and design robust
autonomous aerospace systems operating in uncertain environment, with stress on
efficient uncertainty quantification and robust design using the case studies
of the mission including model-based target tracking and search, and trajectory
planning in uncertain urban environment. To show that the methodology is
generally applicable to uncertain dynamical systems, we will also show examples
of application of the new methods to efficient uncertainty quantification of
energy usage in buildings, and stability assessment of interconnected power
networks
Bayesian decision support for complex systems with many distributed experts
Complex decision support systems often consist of component modules which, encoding the judgements of panels of domain experts, describe a particular sub-domain of the overall system. Ideally these modules need to be pasted together to provide a comprehensive picture of the whole process. The challenge of building such an integrated system is that, whilst the overall qualitative features are common knowledge to all, the explicit forecasts and their associated uncertainties are only expressed individually by each panel, resulting from its own analysis. The structure of the integrated system therefore needs to facilitate the coherent piecing together of these separate evaluations. If such a system is not available there is a serious danger that this might drive decision makers to incoherent and so indefensible policy choices. In this paper we develop a graphically based framework which embeds a set of conditions, consisting of the agreement usually made in practice of certain probability and utility models, that, if satisfied in a given context, are sufficient to ensure the composite system is truly coherent. Furthermore, we develop new message passing algorithms entailing the transmission of expected utility scores between the panels, that enable the uncertainties within each module to be fully accounted for in the evaluation of the available alternatives in these composite systems
On the probabilistic min spanning tree Problem
We study a probabilistic optimization model for min spanning tree, where any vertex vi of the input-graph G(V,E) has some presence probability pi in the final instance G′ ⊂ G that will effectively be optimized. Suppose that when this “real” instance G′ becomes known, a spanning tree T, called anticipatory or a priori spanning tree, has already been computed in G and one can run a quick algorithm (quicker than one that recomputes from scratch), called modification strategy, that modifies the anticipatory tree T in order to fit G ′. The goal is to compute an anticipatory spanning tree of G such that, its modification for any G ′ ⊆ G is optimal for G ′. This is what we call probabilistic min spanning tree problem. In this paper we study complexity and approximation of probabilistic min spanning tree in complete graphs under two distinct modification strategies leading to different complexity results for the problem. For the first of the strategies developed, we also study two natural subproblems of probabilistic min spanning tree, namely, the probabilistic metric min spanning tree and the probabilistic min spanning tree 1,2 that deal with metric complete graphs and complete graphs with edge-weights either 1, or 2, respectively
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