Robustness Analysis of Platoon Control for Mixed Types of Vehicles

Currently, with the development of driving technologies, driverless vehicles gradually are becoming more and more available. Therefore, there would be a long period of time during which self-driving vehicles and human-driven vehicles coexist. However, for a mixed platoon, it is hard to control the formation due to the existence of the manual...

Robust Optimal Control for Demand Side Management of Multi-Carrier Microgrids

This paper focuses on the control of microgrids where both gas and electricity are provided to the final customer, i.e., multi-carrier microgrids. Hence, these microgrids include thermal and electrical loads, renewable energy sources, energy storage systems, heat pumps, and combined heat and power units. The parameters characterizing the...

Online Multi-Robot Task Assignment with Stochastic Blockages

In this paper we study the multi-robot task assignment problem with tasks that appear online and need to be serviced within a fixed time window in an uncertain environment. For example, when deployed in dynamic, human-centered environments, the team of robots may not have perfect information about the environment. Parts of the environment may...

Learning Optimal Controllers for Linear Systems with Multiplicative Noise via Policy Gradient

The linear quadratic regulator (LQR) problem has reemerged as an important theoretical benchmark for reinforcement learning-based control of complex dynamical systems with continuous state and action spaces. In contrast with nearly all recent work in this area, we consider multiplicative noise models, which are increasingly relevant because...

Incremental Nonlinear Fault-Tolerant Control of a Quadrotor With Complete Loss of Two Opposing Rotors

In order to further expand the flight envelope of quadrotors under actuator failures, we design a nonlinear sensor-based fault-tolerant controller to stabilize a quadrotor with failure of two opposing rotors in the high-speed flight condition (>8 m/s). The incremental nonlinear dynamic inversion approach which excels in handling model...

Exploratory modeling for analyzing coupled human-natural systems under uncertainty

Modeling is a crucial approach for understanding the past and exploring the future of coupled human-natural systems. However, uncertainty in various forms challenges inferences from modeling results. Model-based support for decision-making has increasingly adopted an emerging exploratory approach. This approach addresses uncertainty...

Balancing Costs and Benefits in Selecting New Information: Efficient Monitoring Using Deterministic Hydro-economic Models

Uncertainty reduces reliability and performance of water system operations. A decision-maker can take action, accepting the present uncertainty and facing its risks, or reduce uncertainty by first obtaining additional information. Information, however, comes at a cost. The decision-maker must therefore efficiently use his/her resources,...

Optimal Control of Water Systems Under Forecast Uncertainty: Robust, Proactive, and Integrated

Water systems consist of natural and man-made objects serving multiple essential purposes. They are affected by many types of meteorological disturbances. In order to deal with these disturbances and to serve the desired objectives, infrastructures have been built and managed by societies for specific purposes. Given a water system, and its...