Related papers: A hierarchical control framework for autonomous de…
We consider an auto-scaling technique in a cloud system where virtual machines hosted on a physical node are turned on and off depending on the queue's occupation (or thresholds), in order to minimise a global cost integrating both energy…
Many robotics domains use some form of nonconvex model predictive control (MPC) for planning, which sets a reduced time horizon, performs trajectory optimization, and replans at every step. The actual task typically requires a much longer…
This paper is concerned with a compositional approach for constructing both infinite (reduced-order models) and finite abstractions (a.k.a. finite Markov decision processes (MDPs)) of large-scale interconnected discrete-time stochastic…
Existing results on finite-time model predictive control (MPC) often rely on terminal equality constraint, switching inside one-step region, or terminal cost with short control horizon, leading to limited initial feasibility. This paper…
We present a hierarchical control approach for maneuvering an autonomous vehicle (AV) in tightly-constrained environments where other moving AVs and/or human driven vehicles are present. A two-level hierarchy is proposed: a high-level…
This paper presents a decentralized, online planning approach for scalable maneuver planning for large constellations. While decentralized, rule-based strategies have facilitated efficient scaling, optimal decision-making algorithms for…
Mammals can generate autonomous behaviors in various complex environments through the coordination and interaction of activities at different levels of their central nervous system. In this paper, we propose a novel hierarchical learning…
Robotic tasks which involve uncertainty--due to variation in goal, environment configuration, or confidence in task model--may require human input to instruct or adapt the robot. In tasks with physical contact, several existing methods for…
Although many real-world stochastic planning problems are more naturally formulated by hybrid models with both discrete and continuous variables, current state-of-the-art methods cannot adequately address these problems. We present the…
In this paper, we provide a compositional approach for constructing finite abstractions (a.k.a. finite Markov decision processes (MDPs)) of interconnected discrete-time stochastic switched systems. The proposed framework is based on a…
This paper shows that the optimal policy and value functions of a Markov Decision Process (MDP), either discounted or not, can be captured by a finite-horizon undiscounted Optimal Control Problem (OCP), even if based on an inexact model.…
Many processes, such as discrete event systems in engineering or population dynamics in biology, evolve in discrete space and continuous time. We consider the problem of optimal decision making in such discrete state and action space…
Model Predictive Control (MPC) is a computationally demanding control technique that allows dealing with multiple-input and multiple-output systems, while handling constraints in a systematic way. The necessity of solving an optimization…
Planning under uncertainty is a central problem in the study of automated sequential decision making, and has been addressed by researchers in many different fields, including AI planning, decision analysis, operations research, control…
We consider synthesis of control policies that maximize the probability of satisfying given temporal logic specifications in unknown, stochastic environments. We model the interaction between the system and its environment as a Markov…
In this paper we study the problem of designing periodic orbits for a special class of hybrid systems, namely mechanical systems with underactuated continuous dynamics and impulse events. We approach the problem by means of optimal control.…
When human operators of cyber-physical systems encounter surprising behavior, they often consider multiple hypotheses that might explain it. In some cases, taking information-gathering actions such as additional measurements or control…
Robots often face challenges in domestic environments where visual feedback is ineffective, such as retrieving objects obstructed by occlusions or finding a light switch in the dark. In these cases, utilizing contacts to localize the target…
In many operations management problems, we need to make decisions sequentially to minimize the cost while satisfying certain constraints. One modeling approach to study such problems is constrained Markov decision process (CMDP). When…
A large class of decision making under uncertainty problems can be described via Markov decision processes (MDPs) or partially observable MDPs (POMDPs), with application to artificial intelligence and operations research, among others.…