APPLIED MATH SEMINAR 



Title: Applications of Rigidity Theory to Holding Formations
of Autonomous Agents



Speaker: Walter Whitley, Applied Mathematics, York University



When/where: Thursday, Feb 17th, 4:15PM, AKW 400



Abstract: The mathematical theory of rigidity was originally developed

for structural engineering and constraint based computer aided design. 

In recent years, it has been applied to problems in control theory and

location of objects in random networks. This talk will summarize some

basic combinatorial and geometric results and their application to

control theory and location of agents within a network.



We will focus on a few sample problems: coordinating a collection of

moving agents, such with measured distances between certain pairs. Which
patterns of measurements will let us hold the pattern? Which new
measurements do you need to hold a pattern when one agent drops out?
Results from rigidity will be applied or refined to address these
questions, including questions of control where distances are directed
(one of a pair responds to this distance). Results in the plane, and
partial results / unsolved problems in 3-space will be described.


The talk draws on joing work with a larger community of researchers,
including the groups of A. Stephen Morse and Y. Richard Yang at Yale.