Leader-follower controllability on signed multiagent networks is investigated in this paper. Specifically, we consider a dynamic signed multiagent network, where the agents interact via neighbor-based Laplacian feedback and the network allows positive and negative edges to capture cooperative and competitive interactions among agents. The agents are classified as either leaders or followers, thus forming a leader-follower signed network. To enable full control of the leader-follower signed network, controllability ensured leader group selection approaches are investigated in this paper, that is, identifying a small subset of nodes in the signed network, such that the selected nodes are able to drive the network to a desired behavior, even in the presence of antagonistic interactions. In particular, graphical characterizations of the controllability of signed networks are first developed based on the investigation of the interaction between network topology and agent dynamics. Since signed path and cycle graphs are basic building blocks for a variety of networks, the developed topological characterizations are then exploited to develop leader selection methods for signed path and cycle graphs to ensure leader-follower controllability. Along with illustrative examples, heuristic algorithms are also developed showing how leader selection methods developed for path and cycle graphs can be potentially extended to more general signed networks. In contrast to existing results that mainly focus on unsigned networks, this paper characterizes controllability and develops leader selection methods for signed networks. In addition, the developed results are generic, in the sense that they are not only applicable to signed networks but also to unsigned networks, since unsigned networks are a particular case of signed networks that only contain positive edges.
SUMMARYThis paper considers applications where a human agent is navigating a semi-autonomous mobile robot in an environment with obstacles. The human input to the robot can be based on a desired navigation objective, which may not be known to the robot. Additionally, the semi-autonomous robot can be programmed to ensure obstacle avoidance as it navigates the environment. A shared control architecture can be used to appropriately fuse the human and the autonomy inputs to obtain a net control input that drives the robot. In this paper, an adaptive, near-continuous control allocation function is included in the shared controller, which continuously varies the control effort exerted by the human and the autonomy based on the position of the robot relative to obstacles. The developed control allocation function facilitates the human to freely navigate the robot when away from obstacles, and it causes the autonomy control input to progressively dominate as the robot approaches obstacles. A harmonic potential field-based non-linear sliding mode controller is developed to obtain the autonomy control input for obstacle avoidance. In addition, a robust feed-forward term is included in the autonomy control input to maintain stability in the presence of adverse human inputs, which can be critical in applications such as to prevent collision or roll-over of smart wheelchairs due to erroneous human inputs. Lyapunov-based stability analysis is presented to guarantee finite-time stability of the developed shared controller, i.e., the autonomy guarantees obstacle avoidance as the human navigates the robot. Experimental results are provided to validate the performance of the developed shared controller.
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