Finite Time Semistability and Consensus in Networks with Communication Uncertainty

Abstract

In this paper, we develop a conservation-based framework for addressing finite time semistability and almost sure consensus problems for nonlinear stochastic multiagent dynamical systems with fixed communication topologies. Specifically, we present a distributed nonlinear controller architecture for multiagent coordination over networks with state-dependent stochastic communication uncertainty. The proposed controller architecture involves the exchange of generalized charge or energy state information between agents guaranteeing that the closed-loop dynamical network is stochastically finite time semistable to an equipartitioned equilibrium representing a state of almost sure consensus consistent with basic thermodynamic principles.