Adaptive Output Synchronization for a Class of Uncertain Nonlinear Multi-Agent Systems over Switching Networks

TL;DR

This paper presents an adaptive control strategy for uncertain nonlinear multi-agent systems that achieves output synchronization over switching networks, even with disturbances, using output-based adaptive observers and regulation theory.

Contribution

It introduces a novel adaptive control law that relies only on leader output and handles different system orders, extending existing synchronization methods.

Findings

Achieved output synchronization over switching networks

Handled disturbances with unknown bounds

Applicable to systems with different orders

Abstract

In this paper, we first study the leader-following output synchronization problem for a class of uncertain nonlinear multi-agent systems over jointly connected switching networks. Our approach integrates the output-based adaptive distributed observer, the conventional adaptive control technique, and the output regulation theory. Compared with the existing results, our control law only relies on the output of the leader instead of the state of the leader and allows the followers and the leader to have different orders. Then, we further consider the rejection of a class of bounded disturbances with unknown bounds. Our problem includes the state consensus problem as a special case if the followers and the leader have the same order.