Towards a unified theory of constrained control and estimation. The project will investigate the implications of duality and other connections between constrained control and estimation. We believe that the research will result in a richer understanding of these problems. In particular, we envisage an impact in at least four areas: (i) Computational issues, i.e., development of more efficient algorithms for constrained problems. (ii) Geometry of constrained problems, by extending recent results ....Towards a unified theory of constrained control and estimation. The project will investigate the implications of duality and other connections between constrained control and estimation. We believe that the research will result in a richer understanding of these problems. In particular, we envisage an impact in at least four areas: (i) Computational issues, i.e., development of more efficient algorithms for constrained problems. (ii) Geometry of constrained problems, by extending recent results pertaining to constrained control to estimation problems. (iii) Problems with mixed constraints, for example, interval and finite set constraints. (iv) Fundamental limitations imposed by constraints to filtering and control problems.Read moreRead less
Optimum location of FACTS devices with advanced control scheme for improving the security of complex power grid. Prevention of blackouts is one of the highest priorities of the electricity industry. One of the fundamental reasons for the recent blackouts in long transmission network is inter-area oscillations. Queensland's long transmission network is a vital part of the Australian electricity grid and is vulnerable to inter-area oscillations. There is a need for a comprehensive approach to inve ....Optimum location of FACTS devices with advanced control scheme for improving the security of complex power grid. Prevention of blackouts is one of the highest priorities of the electricity industry. One of the fundamental reasons for the recent blackouts in long transmission network is inter-area oscillations. Queensland's long transmission network is a vital part of the Australian electricity grid and is vulnerable to inter-area oscillations. There is a need for a comprehensive approach to investigate the effect of inter-area oscillation that contributes to blackouts. Focussing the Queensland network, this project will provide a complete assessment tool for the optimum location of FACTS devices with modern and advanced control schemes in improving the security of complex interconnected power-grid. Read moreRead less
Finite-dimensional Sampled-data Control of Nonlinear Spatially Distributed Parameter Systems. Optical communication networks, smart materials and fluid flows, are all examples of systems whose behaviour can be significantly improved by automatic control. These are identified as some of the key technologies that will shape our future. This project will contribute to the fundamental science and engineering design of such diverse systems. Two postdoctoral fellows and one graduate student will be t ....Finite-dimensional Sampled-data Control of Nonlinear Spatially Distributed Parameter Systems. Optical communication networks, smart materials and fluid flows, are all examples of systems whose behaviour can be significantly improved by automatic control. These are identified as some of the key technologies that will shape our future. This project will contribute to the fundamental science and engineering design of such diverse systems. Two postdoctoral fellows and one graduate student will be trained in this important emerging field.Read moreRead less
New System Identification Techniques Utilising Misspecified Models. National benefits of the proposed research project will result from improvements in control due to a better, more complete understanding of the models obtained by the newly proposed system identification technique. The resulting effect on industrial practice will be an increase in efficiency, by reduced waste, lower pollution levels and increased throughput. Also, the techniques developed will be directly applicable to current r ....New System Identification Techniques Utilising Misspecified Models. National benefits of the proposed research project will result from improvements in control due to a better, more complete understanding of the models obtained by the newly proposed system identification technique. The resulting effect on industrial practice will be an increase in efficiency, by reduced waste, lower pollution levels and increased throughput. Also, the techniques developed will be directly applicable to current research in the areas of complex systems, such as smart structures and biological studies of the dynamic effects of drugs and hormones on genes.Read moreRead less
Analysis and design of control systems with saturation and time-delay. Control engineering is an enabling technology without which most modern engineering systems, such as aircrafts or Internet, can not operate properly. Actuator saturation and time-delays are undesirable phenomena that often arise in control systems leading to poor performance and sometimes instability. For example, both of these phenomena arise in control of modern telecommunication systems, such as Active Queue Management in ....Analysis and design of control systems with saturation and time-delay. Control engineering is an enabling technology without which most modern engineering systems, such as aircrafts or Internet, can not operate properly. Actuator saturation and time-delays are undesirable phenomena that often arise in control systems leading to poor performance and sometimes instability. For example, both of these phenomena arise in control of modern telecommunication systems, such as Active Queue Management in TCP networks. The project aims at tackling these phenomena by using recently developed techniques in antiwindup for saturating actuators and by revisiting some classical methods for Smith predictor design for time-delayed systems.Read moreRead less
Nonlinear systems with disturbances: analysis, controller design and tradeoffs. A range of classical asymptotic methods (averaging, singular perturbations and slowly varying techniques) have been recently generalized to deal with nonlinear systems with disturbances. The goal of this proposal is the activation of these methods in analysis, controller design and understanding the design tradeoffs of nonlinear system with disturbances. Application areas are in adaptive, vibrational and gain schedul ....Nonlinear systems with disturbances: analysis, controller design and tradeoffs. A range of classical asymptotic methods (averaging, singular perturbations and slowly varying techniques) have been recently generalized to deal with nonlinear systems with disturbances. The goal of this proposal is the activation of these methods in analysis, controller design and understanding the design tradeoffs of nonlinear system with disturbances. Application areas are in adaptive, vibrational and gain scheduling control.Read moreRead less
Stochastic Sensor Scheduling in Statistical Signal Processing. In several statistical signal processing applications, due to computational or communication constraints, at each time instant one can use only a few out of several possible noisy (stochastic) sensors. The stochastic sensor scheduling problem deals with how to dynamically choose which group of sensors to pick at each time instant. This project involves research in sensor scheduling for widely used stochastic dynamical systems such as ....Stochastic Sensor Scheduling in Statistical Signal Processing. In several statistical signal processing applications, due to computational or communication constraints, at each time instant one can use only a few out of several possible noisy (stochastic) sensors. The stochastic sensor scheduling problem deals with how to dynamically choose which group of sensors to pick at each time instant. This project involves research in sensor scheduling for widely used stochastic dynamical systems such as Hidden Markov Models and Jump Markov Linear Systems. It focuses on the design and analysis of stochastic control algorithms such as dynamic programming and simulation based randomized methods. The research will lead to an integrated theory incorporating stochastic control, statistical signal processing and combinatorial optimization. We will also apply the resulting techniques to tracking maneuvering targets given noisy observations.Read moreRead less
Design of Large-Scale Interconnected Dynamical Systems. Our aim is to develop a theory for the design, analysis and operation of large-scale interconnected systems. In recent years there has been an explosive growth in the implementation and use of large-scale systems due to the ready availability of interconnection technology. However, there is no satisfactory systematic theoretical basis for identifying and quantifying potential advantages or pitfalls of large-scale interconnections. Several a ....Design of Large-Scale Interconnected Dynamical Systems. Our aim is to develop a theory for the design, analysis and operation of large-scale interconnected systems. In recent years there has been an explosive growth in the implementation and use of large-scale systems due to the ready availability of interconnection technology. However, there is no satisfactory systematic theoretical basis for identifying and quantifying potential advantages or pitfalls of large-scale interconnections. Several aspects of interconnected systems will be considered. For example, can large-scale systems composed of dynamical sub-systems linked through communication channels be systematically designed? How does overall system behaviour vary with scale and subsystem dynamics? Such questions are largely open and their resolution lies at the heart of this project.Read moreRead less
Constrained Receding Horizon Control of Nonlinear Systems. Most real world control problems involve the design of strategies that
achieve performance goals in the presence of constraints on the system variables. Receding horizon control is a strategy that addresses this problem by directly optimising performance under the appropriate constraints. This project will address theoretical and computational issues associated with this methodology. The expected outcomes include:
* New finitely p ....Constrained Receding Horizon Control of Nonlinear Systems. Most real world control problems involve the design of strategies that
achieve performance goals in the presence of constraints on the system variables. Receding horizon control is a strategy that addresses this problem by directly optimising performance under the appropriate constraints. This project will address theoretical and computational issues associated with this methodology. The expected outcomes include:
* New finitely parameterised solutions for nonlinear systems.
* Implementations of reduced computational complexity.
* New insights into analytical properties of the methodology.
These outcomes are expected to add to Australian scientific recognition and to bring significant economic benefit to Australian industry.
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Robust Experiment Design for Dynamical System Identification. Innovative and new robust experiment design methodologies are a Frontier Technology for Transforming Australian Industries. By providing a solid foundation for generating high fidelity models, robust experiment design will, by the use of breakthrough science, facilitate the estimation of models in minimum time. Also, this will entail minimal disruption to the normal operation of the process under study. With the majority of advanced ....Robust Experiment Design for Dynamical System Identification. Innovative and new robust experiment design methodologies are a Frontier Technology for Transforming Australian Industries. By providing a solid foundation for generating high fidelity models, robust experiment design will, by the use of breakthrough science, facilitate the estimation of models in minimum time. Also, this will entail minimal disruption to the normal operation of the process under study. With the majority of advanced industrial process control systems reliant on accurate models significant savings could also be made due to the implicit improvement in process control.Read moreRead less