Kernel Design and Distributed, Self-Triggered Control for Coordination of Autonomous Multi-Agent Configurations
Levi DeVries, Aaron M Sims, Michael D. M. Kutzer · Robotica · 2018
SUMMARY Autonomous multi-agent systems show promise in countless applications, but can be hindered in environments where inter-agent communication is limited. In such cases, this paper considers a scenario where agents communicate intermittently through a cloud server. We derive a graph transformation mapping the kernel of a graph's Laplacian to a desired configuration vector while retaining graph topology characteristics. The transformation facilitates derivation of a self-triggered controller driving agents to prescribed configurations while regulating instances of inter-agent communication. Experimental validation of the theoretical results shows the self-triggered approach drives agents to a desired configuration using fewer control updates than traditional periodic implementations.