Seminar: Control and Estimation for Underactuated Coupled PDE Systems, 12th Dec, 1:00pm
When: Thursday 12th of Dec, 1:00pm AEDT
Where: This seminar will be partially presented at the ACFR seminar area, J04 lvl 2 (Rose St Building) and partially online via Zoom. RSVP
Speaker: Constantinos Kitsos
Title: Control and Estimation for Underactuated Coupled PDE Systems
Abstract:
Control and estimation techniques for underactuated systems described by coupled partial differential equations (PDEs) are explored inspired by applications in soft robotics, continuum structures, and swarm dynamics. A novel approach to the stabilization of reaction-diffusion systems is proposed, where a single distributed control is applied to a system of interacting PDEs. Addressing open problems in this area, classical control methods (such as Sylvester equations) are extended to the infinite dimension effectively addressing challenges posed by distinct diffusivities and nonlinearities. Observer design techniques are also considered to estimate unmeasured states in complex, nonlinear, and interconnected systems. These control-theoretic methods are highly relevant to the modeling and control of soft robots, such as octopus arms and snake-like structures, as well as collective behaviors in swarm robotics, where coupled PDEs govern dynamic and flexible systems. The potential of these approaches to enhance adaptability, autonomy, and coordination in complex, interconnected flexible systems is discussed.
Bio:
Constantinos Kitsos is a postdoctoral researcher with the Australian Centre for Robotics working on machine-learning approaches for control and estimation problems. Constantinos holds a Diploma in Electrical and Computer Engineering, an M.Sc. in Applied Mathematics from the National Technical University of Athens, Greece, and a Ph.D. in Automatic Control from Université Grenoble Alpes (GIPSA-lab), France. He has been affiliated as a Postdoctoral Researcher with the Department of Electrical Engineering (CentraleSupélec) of Université Paris-Saclay (Laboratory of Signals and Systems-L2S), the Department of Electrical Engineering of Tel-Aviv University and with the Laboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems of the French National Center for Scientific Research (LAAS-CNRS), Toulouse.