A lifting method for analyzing distributed synchronization on the unit sphere

This paper introduces a new lifting method for analyzing convergence of continuous-time distributed synchronization/consensus systems on the unit sphere. Points on the d-dimensional unit sphere are lifted to the (d + 1)-dimensional Euclidean space. The consensus protocol on the unit sphere is the classical one, where agents move toward weighted averages of their neighbors in their respective tangent planes. Only local and relative state information is used. The directed interaction graph topologies are allowed to switch as a function of time. The dynamics of the lifted variables are governed by a nonlinear consensus protocol for which the weights contain ratios of the norms of state variables. We generalize previous convergence results for hemispheres. For a large class of consensus protocols defined for switching uniformly quasi-strongly connected time-varying graphs, we show that the consensus manifold is uniformly asymptotically stable relative to closed balls contained in a hemisphere. Compared to earlier projection based approaches used in this context such as the gnomonic projection, which is defined for hemispheres only, the lifting method applies globally. With that, the hope is that this method can be useful for future investigations on global convergence

Dynamic controllers for column synchronization of rotation matrices: A QR-factorization approach

In the multi-agent systems setting, this paper addresses continuous-time distributed synchronization of columns of rotation matrices. More precisely, k specific columns shall be synchronized and only the corresponding k columns of the relative rotations between the agents are assumed to be available for the control design. When one specific column is considered, the problem is equivalent to synchronization on the (d − 1)-dimensional unit sphere and when all the columns are considered, the problem is equivalent to synchronization on SO(d). We design dynamic control laws for these synchronization problems. The control laws are based on the introduction of auxiliary variables in combination with a QR-factorization approach. The benefit of this QR-factorization approach is that we can decouple the dynamics for the k columns from the remaining d − k ones. Under the control scheme, the closed loop system achieves almost global convergence to synchronization for quasi-strong interaction graph topologies

Experimental Design Trade-offs for Gene Regulatory Network Inference: an in Silico Study of the Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Cell Cycle

Time-series of high throughput gene sequencing data intended for gene regulatory network (GRN) inference are often short due to the high costs of sampling cell systems. Moreover, experimentalists lack a set of quantitative guidelines that prescribe the minimal number of samples required to infer a reliable GRN model. We study the temporal resolution of data vs. quality of GRN inference in order to ultimately overcome this deficit. The evolution of a Markovian jump process model for the Ras/cAMP/PKA pathway of proteins and metabolites in the G 1 phase of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell cycle is sampled at a number of different rates. For each time-series we infer a linear regression model of the GRN using the LASSO method. The inferred network topology is evaluated in terms of the area under the precision-recall curve (AUPR). By plotting the AUPR against the number of samples, we show that the tradeoff has a, roughly speaking, sigmoid shape. An optimal number of samples corresponds to values on the ridge of the sigmoid

Almost global convergence to practical synchronization in the generalized Kuramoto model on networks over the n-sphere

AbstractFrom the flashing of fireflies to autonomous robot swarms, synchronization phenomena are ubiquitous in nature and technology. They are commonly described by the Kuramoto model that, in this paper, we generalise to networks over n-dimensional spheres. We show that, for almost all initial conditions, the sphere model converges to a set with small diameter if the model parameters satisfy a given bound. Moreover, for even n, a special case of the generalized model can achieve phase synchronization with nonidentical frequency parameters. These results contrast with the standard n = 1 Kuramoto model, which is multistable (i.e., has multiple equilibria), and converges to phase synchronization only if the frequency parameters are identical. Hence, this paper shows that the generalized network Kuramoto models for n ≥ 2 displays more coherent and predictable behavior than the standard n = 1 model, a desirable property both in flocks of animals and for robot control.</jats:p

Analytical solutions to feedback systems on the special orthogonal group SO(n)

This paper provides analytical solutions to the closed-loop kinematics of two almost globally exponentially stabilizing attitude control laws on the special orthogonal group SO(n). By studying the general case we give a uniform treatment to the cases of SO(2) and SO(3), which are the most interesting dimensions for application purposes. Working directly with rotation matrices in the case of SO(3) allows us to avoid certain complications which may arise when using local and global many-to-one parameterizations. The analytical solutions provide insight into the transient behaviour of the system and are of theoretical value since they can be used to prove almost global attractiveness of the identity matrix. The practical usefulness of analytical solutions in problems of continuous time actuation subject to piece-wise unavailable or discrete time sensing are illustrated by numerical examples

Almost global consensus on the n\textit{n}-sphere

This paper establishes novel results regarding the global convergence properties of a large class of consensus protocols for multi-agent systems that evolve in continuous time on the n-dimensional unit sphere or n-sphere. For any connected, undirected graph and all n in N\{1}, each protocol in said class is shown to yield almost global consensus. The feedback laws are negative gradients of Lyapunov functions and one instance generates the canonical intrinsic gradient descent protocol. This convergence result sheds new light on the general problem of consensus on Riemannian manifolds; the n-sphere for n in N\{1} differs from the circle and SO(3) where the corresponding protocols fail to generate almost global consensus. Moreover, we derive a novel consensus protocol on SO(3) by combining two almost globally convergent protocols on the n-sphere for n in {1,2}. Theoretical and simulation results suggest that the combined protocol yields almost global consensus on SO(3)