"Robust model predictive control for constrained, linear systems through approximate dynamic programming" Jakob Björnberg, University of Cambridge, England, and Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
Abstract: The talk begins by reviewing how one can approach robust model predictive control for discrete-time, uncertain, constrained systems by dynamic programming. We then specialize to a certain class of linear systems with parametric uncertainties, so-called polyhedral dynamic programming, and demonstrate how to represent the cost-to-go functions and feasible sets exactly and compactly in terms of polyhedra in this case. As a method to lower the computational complexity we then present an approximation technique for dynamic programming that is suitable for this problem class. This is at the expense of optimality, but nevertheless allows to generate robustly stable feedback laws that are guaranteed to respect all constraints.
Two OPTEC professors have been awarded three "Gouden Krijtjes", the yearly teaching awards given by the organization of engineering students (vtk). Prof. Lombaert was awarded the prize for the best course in civil engineering, and Prof. Diehl the prizes for the best professor and the best course in mathematical engineering (where he teaches numerical optimization). They received these awards at the yearly "proffentap" where experienced students taught them how to draft beer professionally.
