Convergence and Synchronization in Piecewise Smooth Networks

Speaker:Prof. Mario di Bernardo (Univerisity of Naples Federico II & University of Bristol）

Time and Date: 9:00-11:30, Oct. 19, 2016

Place: Room 521, Physics Building, Handan Campus

 

 

Abstract

A wide variety of different systems in Nature and Technology can be modelled as ensembles of dynamical systems interacting over a complex interconnection structure. The dynamics of these complex networks can be often affected by discontinuous events occurring on a macroscopic timescale. The aim of this talk is to present and classify this type of networks, also termed as piecewise smooth networks, suggesting that the study of their collective phenomena requires new approaches to characterise their convergence and stability. After presenting some representative applications, attention will be focussed on existing methodologies to prove convergence when the nodes of the network of interest are piecewise smooth dynamical systems. Techniques based on Lyapunov approaches will be presented and applied to a set of representative examples. Alternative methodologies based on the use of incremental stability and contraction theory will also be discussed by presenting preliminary work aimed at extending their applicability to systems and networks characterised by discontinuous dynamics.

 

 

Biography

Mario di Bernardo (SMIEEE ’06, FIEEE 2012) is currently Full Professor of Automatic Control at the University of Naples Federico II, Italy. He is also Professor of Nonlinear Systems and Control at the University of Bristol, U.K. On 28th February 2007 he was bestowed the title of "Cavaliere" of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic for scientific merits from the President of Italy. In January 2012 he was elevated to the grade of Fellow of the IEEE for his contributions to the analysis, control and applications of nonlinear systems and complex networks. In 2009, He was elected President of the Italian Society for Chaos and Complexity for the term 2010-2013. He was re-elected in 2010 for the term 2014-2017. In 2006 and again in 2009 he was elected to the Board of Governors of the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society. From 2011 to 2014 he was Vice President for Financial Activities of the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society. In 2014 he was appointed to the Board of Governors of the IEEE Control Systems Society. His research interests include the analysis, synchronization and control of complex networked systems; the analysis and control of hybrid and piecewise-smooth dynamical systems; nonlinear dynamics, nonlinear control theory and applications to engineering and synthetic biology. He authored or co-authored more than 220 international scientific publications including more than 110 papers in scientific journals, over 100 contributions to refereed conference proceedings, a unique research monograph on the dynamics and bifurcations of piecewise- smooth systems published by Springer-Verlag and two edited books. His h-index is 36 and his publications received almost 5000 citations by other authors. He serves on the Editorial Board of several international scientific journals and conferences. From 1st January 2014 till December 2015 he was Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems: Regular Papers. He is Associate Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Control of Network Nonlinear Analysis: Hybrid Systems, the Conference Editorial Board of the IEEE Control System Society and the European Control Association (EUCA). He was Associate Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Sytems I: Regular Papers from 1999 to 2002 and again from 2008 to 2010, and the IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems II: Brief papers from 2003 till 2008. He is regularly invited as Plenary Speakers in Italy and abroad. He has been organizer and co-organizer of several scientific initiatives and events including international events at Urbino (2011 & 2013), Paris (2010), Bristol (2009), Napoli (2006), Capri (2006), Bristol (2004), Milano (2004). He received funding from several institutions including the EU, the Italian Ministry of University and Research, the UK Research Councils and Industry. He is Distinguished Lecturer of the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society for the term 2016-2017.