The work of this paper is inspired by the flocking phenomenon observed in Reynolds (1987). We introduce a class of local control laws for a group of mobile agents that result in: (i) global alignment of their velocity vectors, (ii) convergence of their speeds to a common one, (iii) collision avoidance, and (iv) minimization of the agents artificial potential energy. These are made possible through local control action by exploiting the algebraic graph theoretic properties of the underlying interconnection graph. Algebraic connectivity a#ects the performance and robustness properties of the overall closed loop system. We show how the stability of the flocking motion of the group is directly associated with the connectivity properties of the interconnection network and is robust to arbitrary switching of the network topology.

This is the second of a two-part paper, investigating the stability properties of a system of multiple mobile agents with double integrator dynamics. In this second part, we allow the topology of the control interconnections between the agents in the group to vary with time. Specifically, the control law of an agent depends on the state of a set of agents that are within a certain neighborhood around it. As the agents move around, this set changes giving rise to a dynamic control interconnection topology and a switching control law. This control law consists of a a combination of attractive/repulsive and alignment forces. The former ensure collision avoidance and cohesion of the group and the latter result to all agents attaining a common heading angle, exhibiting flocking motion. Despite the use of only local information and the time varying nature of agent interaction which affects the local controllers, flocking motion can still be established, as long as connectivity in the neighboring graph is maintained.

We provide a complete analysis of the Kuramoto model of coupled nonlinear oscillators with uncertain natural frequencies and arbitrary interconnection topology. Our work extends and supersedes existing, partial results for the case of an all-to-all connected network. Using tools from spectral graph theory and control theory, we prove that for couplings above a critical value all the oscillators synchronize, resulting in convergence of all phase di#erences to a constant value, both in the case of identical natural frequencies as well as uncertain ones. We further explain the behavior of the system as the number of oscillators grows to infinity.

and the optimum value of max[P (0)] was max[P (0)] = 00:40844 < 0 which indicates that this system has no robustly unobservable states. For the optimal value of given above, a plot of max[P (t)] as a function of t is shown in Fig. 6.

This paper in vestigates the aggregated stability properties of of a system of multiple mobileagen ts described by simpledynleS55 systems. Theagen ts are steered through local coordin2Sfi5 con trol laws that arise as a combin7 tion of attractive/repulsivean align2F t forces. These forces ences collision avoidan e a n cohesion of the groupan result to all agen ts attain[S a common headin anin exhibitin flockin motion Two cases are con197 ered: in the first, position in[]5 ation from all group members is available to each agen t; in the seconc each agen t has access to position i n ormation of on( the agen ts layin in ide its n ighborhood. It is then shown that regardless ofan y arbitrary chan[1 in thenS[9 bor set, the flockinmotion remain stable aslon as the graph that describes the n ighborin relation amon the agen ts in the group is always con9 cted. 1

We provide an analysis of the classic Kuramoto model of coupled nonlinear oscillators that goes beyond the existing results for all-to-all networks of identical oscillators. Our work is applicable to oscillator networks of arbitrary interconnection topology with uncertain natural frequencies. Using tools from spectral graph theory and control theory, we prove that for couplings above a critical value, the synchronized state is locally asymptotically stable, resulting in convergence of all phase differences to a constant value, both in the case of identical natural frequencies as well as uncertain ones. We further explain the behavior of the system as the number of oscillators grows to infinity. Over the past decade, considerable attention has been devoted to the problem of coordinated motion of multiple autonomous agents. A variety of disciplines (as diverse as ecology, the social sciences, statistical physics, computer graphics and, indeed, systems and control theory) are developing an understanding of how a group of moving objects (such as flocks of birds, schools of fish, crowds of people [11], [20], or collections of autonomous robots or unmanned