The Maximum Consensus Problem


Book Description

Outlier-contaminated data is a fact of life in computer vision. For computer vision applications to perform reliably and accurately in practical settings, the processing of the input data must be conducted in a robust manner. In this context, the maximum consensus robust criterion plays a critical role by allowing the quantity of interest to be estimated from noisy and outlier-prone visual measurements. The maximum consensus problem refers to the problem of optimizing the quantity of interest according to the maximum consensus criterion. This book provides an overview of the algorithms for performing this optimization. The emphasis is on the basic operation or "inner workings" of the algorithms, and on their mathematical characteristics in terms of optimality and efficiency. The applicability of the techniques to common computer vision tasks is also highlighted. By collecting existing techniques in a single article, this book aims to trigger further developments in this theoretically interesting and practically important area.




The Maximum Consensus Problem


Book Description

Outlier-contaminated data is a fact of life in computer vision. For computer vision applications to perform reliably and accurately in practical settings, the processing of the input data must be conducted in a robust manner. In this context, the maximum consensus robust criterion plays a critical role by allowing the quantity of interest to be estimated from noisy and outlier-prone visual measurements. The maximum consensus problem refers to the problem of optimizing the quantity of interest according to the maximum consensus criterion. This book provides an overview of the algorithms for performing this optimization. The emphasis is on the basic operation or "inner workings" of the algorithms, and on their mathematical characteristics in terms of optimality and efficiency. The applicability of the techniques to common computer vision tasks is also highlighted. By collecting existing techniques in a single article, this book aims to trigger further developments in this theoretically interesting and practically important area.




Distributed Network Structure Estimation Using Consensus Methods


Book Description

The area of detection and estimation in a distributed wireless sensor network (WSN) has several applications, including military surveillance, sustainability, health monitoring, and Internet of Things (IoT). Compared with a wired centralized sensor network, a distributed WSN has many advantages including scalability and robustness to sensor node failures. In this book, we address the problem of estimating the structure of distributed WSNs. First, we provide a literature review in: (a) graph theory; (b) network area estimation; and (c) existing consensus algorithms, including average consensus and max consensus. Second, a distributed algorithm for counting the total number of nodes in a wireless sensor network with noisy communication channels is introduced. Then, a distributed network degree distribution estimation (DNDD) algorithm is described. The DNDD algorithm is based on average consensus and in-network empirical mass function estimation. Finally, a fully distributed algorithm for estimating the center and the coverage region of a wireless sensor network is described. The algorithms introduced are appropriate for most connected distributed networks. The performance of the algorithms is analyzed theoretically, and simulations are performed and presented to validate the theoretical results. In this book, we also describe how the introduced algorithms can be used to learn global data information and the global data region.




Distributed Consensus with Visual Perception in Multi-Robot Systems


Book Description

This monograph introduces novel responses to the different problems that arise when multiple robots need to execute a task in cooperation, each robot in the team having a monocular camera as its primary input sensor. Its central proposition is that a consistent perception of the world is crucial for the good development of any multi-robot application. The text focuses on the high-level problem of cooperative perception by a multi-robot system: the idea that, depending on what each robot sees and its current situation, it will need to communicate these things to its fellows whenever possible to share what it has found and keep updated by them in its turn. However, in any realistic scenario, distributed solutions to this problem are not trivial and need to be addressed from as many angles as possible. Distributed Consensus with Visual Perception in Multi-Robot Systems covers a variety of related topics such as: • distributed consensus algorithms; • data association and robustness problems; • convergence speed; and • cooperative mapping. The book first puts forward algorithmic solutions to these problems and then supports them with empirical validations working with real images. It provides the reader with a deeper understanding of the problems associated to the perception of the world by a team of cooperating robots with onboard cameras. Academic researchers and graduate students working with multi-robot systems, or investigating problems of distributed control or computer vision and cooperative perception will find this book of material assistance with their studies.




Second-Order Consensus of Continuous-Time Multi-Agent Systems


Book Description

Second-Order Consensus of Continuous-Time Multi-Agent Systems focuses on the characteristics and features of second-order agents, communication networks, and control protocols/algorithms in continuous consensus of multi-agent systems. The book provides readers with background on consensus control of multi-agent systems and introduces the intrinsic characteristics of second-order agents' behavior, including the development of continuous control protocols/algorithms over various types of underlying communication networks, as well as the implementation of computation- and communication-efficient strategies in the execution of protocols/algorithms. The book's authors also provide coverage of the frameworks of stability analysis, algebraic criteria and performance evaluation. On this basis, the book provides an in-depth study of intrinsic nonlinear dynamics from agents' perspective, coverage of unbalanced directed topology, random switching topology, event-triggered communication, and random link failure, from a communication networks' perspective, as well as leader-following control, finite-time control, and global consensus control, from a protocols/algorithms' perspective. Finally, simulation results including practical application examples are presented to illustrate the effectiveness and the practicability of the control protocols and algorithms proposed in this book. - Introduces the latest and most advanced protocols and algorithms in second-order consensus of continuous time, multi-agent systems with various characteristics - Provides readers with in-depth methods on how to construct the frameworks of stability analysis, algebraic criteria, and performance evaluation, thus helping users develop novel consensus control methods - Includes systematic introductions and detailed implementations on how control protocols and algorithms solve problems in real world, second-order, multi-agent systems, including solutions for engineers in related fields




Advanced Distributed Consensus for Multiagent Systems


Book Description

Advanced Distributed Consensus for Multiagent Systems contributes to the further development of advanced distributed consensus methods for different classes of multiagent methods. The book expands the field of coordinated multiagent dynamic systems, including discussions on swarms, multi-vehicle and swarm robotics. In addition, it addresses advanced distributed methods for the important topic of multiagent systems, with a goal of providing a high-level treatment of consensus to different versions while preserving systematic analysis of the material and providing an accounting to math development in a unified way. This book is suitable for graduate courses in electrical, mechanical and computer science departments. Consensus control in multiagent systems is becoming increasingly popular among researchers due to its applicability in analyzing and designing coordination behaviors among agents in multiagent frameworks. Multiagent systems have been a fascinating subject amongst researchers as their practical applications span multiple fields ranging from robotics, control theory, systems biology, evolutionary biology, power systems, social and political systems to mention a few. - Gathers together the theoretical preliminaries and fundamental issues related to multiagent systems and controls - Provides coherent results on adopting a multiagent framework for critically examining problems in smart microgrid systems - Presents advanced analysis of multiagent systems under cyberphysical attacks and develops resilient control strategies to guarantee safe operation




Consensus Tracking of Multi-agent Systems with Switching Topologies


Book Description

Consensus Tracking of Multi-agent Systems with Switching Topologies takes an advanced look at the development of multi-agent systems with continuously switching topologies and relay tracking systems with switching of agents. Research problems addressed are well defined and numerical examples and simulation results are given to demonstrate the engineering potential. The book is aimed at advanced graduate students in control engineering, signal processing, nonlinear systems, switched systems and applied mathematics. It will also be a core reference for control engineers working on nonlinear control and switched control, as well as mathematicians and biomedical engineering researchers working on complex systems.




Admissible Consensus and Consensualization for Singular Multi-agent Systems


Book Description

This book explores admissible consensus analysis and design problems concerning singular multi-agent systems, addressing various impact factors including time delays, external disturbances, switching topologies, protocol states, topology structures, and performance constraint. It also discusses the state-space decomposition method, a key technique that can decompose the motions of singular multi-agent systems into two parts: the relative motion and the whole motion. The relative motion is independent of the whole motion. Further, it describes the admissible consensus analysis and determination of the design criteria for different impact factors using the Lyapunov method, the linear matrix inequality tool, and the generalized Riccati equation method. This book is a valuable reference resource for graduate students of control theory and engineering and researchers in the field of multi-agent systems.







Bioinformatics Algorithms


Book Description

Presents algorithmic techniques for solving problems in bioinformatics, including applications that shed new light on molecular biology This book introduces algorithmic techniques in bioinformatics, emphasizing their application to solving novel problems in post-genomic molecular biology. Beginning with a thought-provoking discussion on the role of algorithms in twenty-first-century bioinformatics education, Bioinformatics Algorithms covers: General algorithmic techniques, including dynamic programming, graph-theoretical methods, hidden Markov models, the fast Fourier transform, seeding, and approximation algorithms Algorithms and tools for genome and sequence analysis, including formal and approximate models for gene clusters, advanced algorithms for non-overlapping local alignments and genome tilings, multiplex PCR primer set selection, and sequence/network motif finding Microarray design and analysis, including algorithms for microarray physical design, missing value imputation, and meta-analysis of gene expression data Algorithmic issues arising in the analysis of genetic variation across human population, including computational inference of haplotypes from genotype data and disease association search in case/control epidemiologic studies Algorithmic approaches in structural and systems biology, including topological and structural classification in biochemistry, and prediction of protein-protein and domain-domain interactions Each chapter begins with a self-contained introduction to a computational problem; continues with a brief review of the existing literature on the subject and an in-depth description of recent algorithmic and methodological developments; and concludes with a brief experimental study and a discussion of open research challenges. This clear and approachable presentation makes the book appropriate for researchers, practitioners, and graduate students alike.