Distributed Systems

Catalog description

This research seminar deals with tools, methods, and algorithms for analysis and design of distributed dynamical systems. These are large collections of dynamical systems that are spatially interconnected to form a collective task or achieve a global behavior using local interactions. Over the past decade such systems have been studied in disciplines as diverse as statistical physics, computer graphics, robotics, and control theory. The purpose of this course is to build a mathematical foundation for study of such systems by exploring the interplay of control theory, distributed optimization, dynamical systems, graph theory, and algebraic topology. Assignments will consist of reading and researching the recent literature in this area. Topics covered in distributed coordination and consensus algorithms over networks, coverage problems, effects of delay in large scale networks. Power law graphs, gossip and consensus algorithms, synchronization phenomena in natural and engineered systems, etc.