Learning for Dynamics and Control

Catalog description

This course will provide students an introduction to the emerging area at the intersection of machine learning, dynamics, and control. We will investigate machine learning and data-driven algorithms that interact with the physical world, with an emphasis on a holistic understanding of the interplay between concepts from control theory (e.g., feedback, stability, robustness) and machine learning (e.g., generalization, sample-complexity). Topics of study will include learning models of dynamical systems, using these models to robustly meet performance objectives, optimally refining models to improve performance, and verifying the safety of machine learning enabled control systems. The course will also expose students to the ethical considerations that need to be considered when designing learning algorithms that interact with and are placed in feedback with the world. The course will consist of lectures, and students will be evaluated based on traditional and programming assignments, as well as a final project.