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Advanced seminar AG Continuous optimization

Monday, 03.07.2023 at 10:30 a.m. Conference room (R107),

 

Lecture by Dr. Willem Esterhuizen (TU Ilmenau) with the title:

 

"Convergent homotopies for discrete-time optimal control"

Abstract:
Homotopy methods are attractive due to their capability of solving difficult optimization and optimal control problems. The underlying idea is to construct a homotopy, which may be considered as a continuous (zero) curve between the difficult original problem and a related, comparatively-easy one. Then, the solution of the easier one is continuously perturbed along the zero curve towards the desired solution of the difficult problem. We propose a methodology for the systematic construction of such zero curves for discrete-time optimal control problems drawing upon the theory of globally-convergent homotopies for nonlinear programs. This framework ensures that for almost every easy solution there exists a suitable homotopy path that is, in addition, numerically tractable. We demonstrate the results by solving a difficult path planning problem.

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