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Tuesday 18 August

Systems and Control · Cross-listed from cs.LG

An Omitted Mode Is a Rare Rule: The Sampling-Verification Danger Law in Continuous Code World Models

In the Code World Model paradigm an LLM synthesizes an executable world model that a classical planner searches, and the model is accepted when it reproduces sampled transitions. We ask what that acceptance certifies in continuous control. We define the pipeline's danger as an expected risk and isolate its exact factor: the probability that N i.i.d. gate rollouts all miss a critical event of probability r is exactly (1-r)^N; an independent acceptance sample adds its budget to the exponent. On three hybrid instruments the accepted mode-blind model is exploited: the planner is pinned at the mode boundary at a regret of nearly the whole attainable return. We prove a localization budget, valid at boundary points: models with Lipschitz constant at most L differing by eta at a point disagree above tolerance eps on a region of volume at least kappa((eta-eps)/L)^(d+m); the discontinuous reset modes studied pay no such budget. With real LLM synthesis, GPT-5.x repairs an omitted 1D clamp in 105 of 111 mode-containing draws – every attempt exact on 50 of 56 instrument-stream blocks (95% CI [0.781, 0.960]). On 2D regions no artifact recovers the rule (0/156); eight targeted interventions leave the failure in place, and positive controls locate it: a located rule is not induced, while given form and location the constants follow exactly. A version-space certificate proves identification is class-relative: at the widest dose the declared fit succeeds in 20/20 blocks and every sample-consistent circle is within tolerance in 18/20. We prove a class of entry rules exactly consistent with every sample yet harmless at play, so identifiability is a measurable property of the instrument. Re-scoring all 1034 artifacts on independent samples confirms acceptance certifies sample consistency and no more: where the gate is provably informative it covers about two percent of the exploited planner's queries.
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Systems and Control

Policy Iteration for Linear-Quadratic Stochastic Differential Games with State- and Control-Dependent Noise

This paper presents a novel sequential policy iteration (PI) method for stochastic differential games with state- and control-dependent noise. The updates preserve mean-square stability, so that the iteration is well posed. We further derive a closed-form expression for the Fréchet derivative of the sequential PI map at a Nash equilibrium. The resulting characterization reveals how control-dependent noise, policy-evaluation sensitivity, and update ordering govern local error propagation, and yields explicit sufficient conditions for local linear convergence. Since finding an initial stabilizing solution is a major challenge in policy iteration, we also propose a homotopy-based initialization that ensures a valid starting point. The effectiveness of the proposed PI algorithm and the analytical results are verified through a numerical example.
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All authors Karl Handwerker, Felix Thömmes, Lucas Günther, Balint Varga, Sören Hohmann

Systems and Control

Infinite-Horizon Inverse Linear-Quadratic Differential Games with State- and Control-Dependent Noise

This paper presents a method to solve the inverse problem for N-player infinite-horizon linear-quadratic (LQ) differential games with state- and control-dependent noise. For this stochastic setting, we derive necessary and sufficient conditions for linear feedback Nash equilibria, which take the form of coupled stochastic algebraic Riccati equations. We then derive a kernel representation of these equations to explicitly characterize the set of all cost function parameter combinations across players that are consistent with observed equilibrium trajectories, thereby solving the associated inverse problem. Numerical results illustrate the approach and confirm the theoretical findings, highlighting the inherent ambiguity of the inverse problem.
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All authors Lucas Günther, Karl Handwerker, Felix Thömmes, Balint Varga, Sören Hohmann

Systems and Control

A Coalitional Game for Demand-Side Management in a Micro-Grid with Multiple Electricity Retailers

This paper develops a demand-side management framework for electricity networks with multiple competing retailers. The interaction among retailers is formulated as a coalitional game, yielding a family of coupled mixed-integer optimisation problems in which retail prices, consumer power demands, and the network partition are jointly optimised. To solve this problem, we propose a coalition-formation algorithm based on multi-objective optimisation principles. The algorithm seeks to identify coalition structures that balance retailer profit and consumer welfare. We prove that the proposed algorithm converges in a finite number of steps and recovers a subset of weakly Pareto-efficient solutions of the coupled optimisation problems. The framework is further extended to a risk-sharing formulation, in which the objective is defined using conditional value-at-risk. Numerical simulations on an academic example demonstrate the method's behaviour and show that the resulting equilibrium partition set contains several admissible trade-offs between the competing objectives. The results provide a tractable approach for analysing competition, coalition formation, and risk-aware pricing in multi-retailer demand-side management systems.
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All authors Pablo R Baldivieso-Monasterios, Fernando Genis Mendoza, George Konstantopoulos, Dario Bauso

Systems and Control

Steady-State Equivalent Circuit Model for Data Center Loads

Planners currently represent data centers as aggregate constant-PQ or ZIP loads in steady-state interconnection and contingency studies. These aggregate models are computationally convenient. However, they obscure the electrical relationship between computational workloads, server utilization, and grid-side demand. They ignore the internal power-electronic conversion stages of IT loads and assume homogeneous workload distributions across the compute clusters. This hides operating-point-dependent converter losses and efficiency variations. We propose a steady-state equivalent-circuit model (ECM) for data centers, which explicitly builds circuit models for IT loads, power supply units, cooling, and auxiliary systems. For power supply units, the equivalent circuit model explicitly represents internal power-electronic conversion stages. For IT loads, we develop a utilization-dependent server power model, and we combine it with loss-aware ECMs of power supply units. This approach captures the grid-side impact of heterogeneous workload distributions while preserving compatibility with conventional power-flow analysis. We evaluate this data center ECM in large-scale transmission power flows, using Monte Carlo simulations under heterogeneous and homogeneous cluster utilization. In comparison with the fixed-efficiency constant-PQ model, the ECM predicts that the most stressed line exceeds its thermal limit in about 30% of Monte Carlo samples. The results further show that homogeneous server utilization overstates line-loading variability by 17%-46% relative to heterogeneous server utilization, depending on the intra-cluster workload correlation.
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All authors Muhammad Hamza Ali, Peng Sang, Hyeon Woo, Hyein Kang, Sungyun Choi, Amritanshu Pandey

Systems and Control · Cross-listed from math.OC

Stochastic Robust Linear W-infinity Control via Dynamic Output Feedback

This paper introduces a robust W-infinity optimal control framework for linear Itô diffusions using a weighted Sobolev-space performance measure. Because the sample paths of Itô diffusions are nondifferentiable, the formulation leverages the weak derivative of the expected state. An LMI-based semidefinite program is developed for dynamic output-feedback synthesis, and a rigorous stability analysis guarantees mean-square ultimate boundedness with minimized ultimate bound. A numerical example demonstrates that the proposed approach provides effective disturbance attenuation with fast transient performance.
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Systems and Control

Adaptive Model Predictive Control for Ground Vehicles: Review and Demonstrative Implementation

This paper reviews Adaptive Model Predictive Control (AMPC) methods for Autonomous Vehicles (AVs), focusing on control strategies that dynamically adapt to uncertainties and changing conditions in real-time. The critical role of Adaptive Model Predictive Control (AMPC) in addressing the challenges of autonomous vehicle control are discussed. For the scope of this paper, AMPC is defined as a class of Model Predictive Control (MPC) techniques that modify the system model, cost function, constraints, or prediction horizon, based on real-time data. Traditional MPC, while effective for constrained optimization, struggles with model inaccuracies, computational demands, and dynamic environments, necessitating AMPC methods. The review covers existing literature on Gain scheduled MPC, Online Model Estimation MPC, Weight Adaptive MPC, Horizon Adaptive MPC, Learning Based MPC, and Hybrid MPC that combines MPC with other control methods. In addition to the survey, a demonstrative simulation of an adaptive MPC controller is presented that illustrates practical aspects of weight and speed adaptation in trajectory tracking.
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Systems and Control

The Zonotopic Mixture Filter

State estimation is commonly posed in either a probabilistic or an unknown-but-bounded framework. The former requires a fully specified noise distribution, typically with unbounded support, while the latter yields guaranteed enclosures that carry no probabilistic weighting. Bridging these noise descriptions, this paper proposes a zonotopic mixture noise model, in which the noise is generated by drawing a zonotope from a finite collection according to fixed probabilities and then realizing an arbitrary element of it. For this noise model, we derive the zonotopic mixture filter, which propagates a bank of zonotopic Kalman filters over mode histories, discards the histories falsified by the data, and weights the surviving ones by their relative probability. The resulting state enclosures yield guaranteed coverage probabilities and remain valid for every noise realization compatible with the bounds, and a greedy mixture reduction scheme preserves these statistical guarantees while keeping the representation tractable. Numerical examples illustrate the proposed approach and its potential benefits over related state estimation methods.
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Systems and Control · Cross-listed from math.OC

Optimal W-infinity Control of Prandtl-Ishlinskii Hysteresis Model via Weak Derivatives

This work proposes a novel robust optimal W-infinity controller for dynamic systems with Prandtl-Ishlinskii hysteresis. By utilizing weighted Sobolev spaces Wm,p,Gamma, the approach uses weak derivatives to rigorously handle the non-differentiable, input non-affine nature of hysteresis. This formulation recasts the Prandtl-Ishlinskii operator as a bounded uncertainty multiplying the input rate, enabling robust optimal controller design via linear matrix inequalities, while guaranteeing W3,2,Gamma-stability with a W-infinity-gain bound. A numerical study on a piezoelectric actuator model validates its effectiveness, demonstrating asymptotic tracking and the attenuation of both hysteresis and external disturbances through a straightforward implementation.
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Systems and Control · Cross-listed from cs.RO

Stability Control for Real World Testing in Autonomous Racing

Controlling an autonomous vehicle at the limits of handling is a challenging task. Due to external influences, such as road conditions or weather, a vehicle can easily become unstable. Since most control algorithms assume stable vehicle behavior, they might fail in these situations. Especially when operating expensive vehicles without a safety driver on board, as in autonomous racing, this poses a significant challenge. To enable safe operation at the vehicle's dynamic limits, we present a comprehensive stability control system that safeguards motion control algorithms in autonomous driving. The proposed system consists of an electronic stability control (ESC), a slip control (SC), and a countersteer system (CS), which collectively adapt steering and brake commands from the motion controller to maintain vehicle stability. We validate our approach through both simulation and experiments on a real-world, full-scale vehicle. The results show that the stability control system maintains vehicle stability in critical situations and extends the operational feasible region. To simplify integration, we provide an open-source implementation at github.com/TUMFTM/tam-stability-control.
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All authors Phillip Pitschi, Simon Sagmeister, Frederik Werner, Markus Lienkamp, Boris Lohmann

Systems and Control

Edge-Native Embodied Intelligence for Action-Aware Wireless Edge Networks

Embodied intelligence is shifting artificial intelligence from passive digital perception toward active physical interaction. However, foundation-model-enabled embodied agents face a fundamental tension between open-world cognition and resource-constrained deployment. On-device models are limited by computation, memory, and energy budgets, whereas cloud-centric solutions introduce latency and reliability risks over dynamic wireless links. Edge general intelligence provides a promising cognitive backbone, but existing frameworks still lack physical grounding, action awareness, and mechanisms for actively acquiring useful physical experience. To address these limitations, this article introduces edge-native embodied intelligence (ENEI), an action-aware wireless edge framework that integrates embodied agents, the 6G communication and networking fabric, and edge cognitive services into a 6G-mediated bidirectional edge-embodiment loop. Along the edge-to-embodiment axis, confidence-aware assistance and edge-driven generative adaptation enhance local autonomy under out-of-distribution (OOD) conditions. Along the embodiment-to-edge axis, value-of-experience guided active embodied federated learning enables physical actions to generate informative experience for continuous edge model evolution. The 6G fabric supports both directions through goal-oriented transmission and programmable radio-resource allocation. Two case studies on OOD drone navigation and mobility-driven federated learning illustrate the feasibility and communication efficiency of the proposed mechanisms. ENEI provides a unified perspective in which edge cognition strengthens embodied action, while embodied agency actively enriches edge cognition, laying the foundation for scalable, adaptive, and self-evolving embodied wireless systems.
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All authors Yiru Wang, Chuanao Jiang, Jiahui Cui, Zide Fan, Lei Wang, Zehui Xiong, Dong In Kim

Systems and Control

A (Purely) Graph-Theoretic Approach to Synchronization of Nonlinear Dynamical Networks

Synchronizing nonlinear dynamical networks typically requires solving matrix inequalities or detailed system models, which fail for large networks. This paper offers a simple fix : a purely graph-theoretic framework using only a single Lipschitz-like bound on the dynamics. Coupling strengths are computed directly from the digraph, bypassing inequality solvers entirely. The method succeeds where existing approaches encounter infeasibility due to connectivity patterns. It examines only $n-1$ directed paths per strongly connected component versus $\frac{n(n-1)}{2}$ undirected paths before, achieving $O(n^3)$ complexity. Results show network connectivity can be exploited to synchronize a large class of nonlinear dynamical networks.
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Systems and Control

Fault detection on manifolds of nonlinear dynamical systems with dual autoencoders

Autoencoders are commonly used for unsupervised data-driven fault detection in nonlinear dynamical systems. Despite their widespread success and often favorable performance compared with traditional approaches, most applications rely on heuristic reconstruction of measured data using features learned from nominal training data, without explicit insight into the underlying nonlinear dynamics. This lack of interpretability limits the extension of autoencoder-based fault detection methods to higher levels of fault diagnosis, e.g., fault localization and quantification, and confines their use largely to application-oriented studies. To address this limitation, we propose a strategy for detecting parametric faults in nonlinear stochastic mechanical systems. A mathematical representation of the output data is developed using Koopman operator theory, which motivates their embedding on a manifold and its subsequent approximation with a two-stage autoencoder. Fault detection is formulated within a hypothesis-testing framework, in which new data are tested for consistency with a neighborhood of the manifold identified from nominal observations. The proposed method is validated through Monte Carlo simulations of a toy mechanical system with two types of nonlinearity and applied to two well-known real benchmarks, where it provides favorable fault-detection performance compared with standard autoencoders.
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Systems and Control · Cross-listed from math.OC

Mixed-integer programming formulations for optimal reconfiguration of supply chains

Supply chains are interconnected networks of processes and operations producing and delivering high-value products. These chains are increasingly subjected to structural changes from the energy transition and other external factors. To address this, this work develops mixed-integer programming formulations to identify optimal reconfigurations that preserve industrial operations and profitability. We propose products and spatial neighborhoods to restrict the feasible search space and enable fast heuristic solutions. Furthermore, this restriction combines structural and product-based information, thus allowing to explore and define multiple reconfiguration scenarios. We demonstrate the approach using an agricultural waste case study, showing its ability to quickly produce good quality solutions.
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All authors Lavinia M.P. Ghilardi, Olga Walz, Steffen Klosterhalfen, Calvin Tsay

Systems and Control

On the behavior assignment problem

This paper introduces the asymptotic behavior assignment problem for nonlinear systems. Given a controlled system and a reference system with an “open” input, the goal is to design a regulator such that, for every admissible input, the asymptotic input-output behavior of the closed-loop system reproduces that of the reference. This formulation captures, as special cases, classical model matching, disturbance rejection, and master-slave synchronization, but does not assume that an explicit tracking or regulation error is available for feedback. Motivated by nonlinear output regulation, we discuss how steady-state concepts for autonomous systems must be adapted when the closed-loop dynamics is not autonomous. In a SISO normal-form setting we devise sufficient conditions for the solution of the behavior assignment problem by introducing a synchrony-detection signal whose convergence to zero is equivalent to successful behavior assignment, thereby reducing the problem to a standard stabilization one. Two examples, a tunnel-diode circuit with multiple input-dependent equilibria, and a pendulum frequency-matching problem, illustrate how the proposed framework avoids artificially selecting a specific steady state.
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Systems and Control · Cross-listed from cs.SE

Unified Message Model for Heterogeneous Serial Data Exchange Protocols

Modern embedded systems are becoming increasingly complex and typically integrate numerous heterogeneous devices, such as controllers, sensors, actuators, and supporting subsystems. As a result, their development and integration involve a wide variety of serial communication protocols, ranging from standardized solutions to partially standardized and fully project-defined formats. Efficient development of such systems increasingly depends on automation toolchains, which in turn require a clear, unified, and machine-processable formal basis. This paper proposes a unified, protocol-agnostic message model for explicit and deterministic description of serial messages. The model is based on formal definition of data types, atomic message elements (containers), and complete message structure. In addition to the model itself, the paper introduces methods for practical work with it, including configurable message types for expressing structural constraints and supporting deterministic automation, as well as configurable user representations for engineering-oriented reading and editing. The proposed model and methods are demonstrated through implementation in an industrial tool environment. The results show that the approach can support machine-readable interface control document development, automated generation of transport-layer software, and practical engineering work with both standardized and weakly formalized serial protocols. Taken together, the proposed model, methods, and tool implementation provide a practical foundation for automation toolchains in heterogeneous serial communication development.
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Systems and Control · Cross-listed from cs.MA

Adaptive Incentive Design in Dynamic Principal-Agent Problem via Kernelized Bandits

We consider the dynamic principal-agent problem under asymmetric information, wherein a principal sequentially designs contracts to incentivize an agent with unknown preferences and hidden actions. A fundamental bottleneck in the existing literature is the assumption of deterministic agent utility, which renders the principal's expected utility discontinuous and forces computationally intractable discretizations of the contract space. In this paper, we address this limitation by introducing a stochastic counterpart into the agent's utility model, capturing the inherent physical and behavioral variations in realistic subsystems. We formally prove that this stochastic formulation restores the continuity of the principal's expected utility. Leveraging this continuous geometric structure, we formulate the interaction as a structured multi-armed bandit problem subject to heteroscedastic noise. We propose a Heteroscedastic GP-UCB algorithm that utilizes a Neural Network (Arcsin) kernel, chosen to capture the non-stationary, sigmoidal geometry of the utility landscape. For an $m$-dimensional compact contract space, we establish a high-probability cumulative regret bound of $O\left(\sqrt{T}(\log T)^{m+1}\right)$. Finally, we demonstrate the practical efficacy of our theoretical framework by formulating the Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) incentive design problem, proving its equivalence to a dynamic principal-agent problem, and showing superior economic performance for grid aggregators.
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All authors Arghya Mallick, Anuj S. Vora, Sergio Grammatico, Peyman Mohajerin Esfahani

Systems and Control

Communication Reduction via Semantic-Based Encoding in DMPC Using LSTMs

The communication demands of distributed model prediction control (DMPC) can overwhelm even advanced wireless communication technologies as agents must exchange a significant amount of information at least once per time step. To semantically reduce communication demands, this work employs encoder-decoder networks built around long-short term memory (LSTM) cells in a distributed optimization algorithm. Agents publish a reduced representation of a message and receivers reconstruct the original message upon reception. In tests with reduced communication using formations of mobile robots, trained networks retain satisfactory performance and work reliably under conditions overwhelming full communication. As the results show, the usage of LSTMs either allows unprecedented reconstruction accuracy or the usage of different prediction-horizon lengths without the necessity to retrain.
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Systems and Control · Cross-listed from cs.AI

Quantifying Risk Under Evolving Uncertainty: Belief-Dependent Robustness for Safe Sequential Decision Making

How cautious should an agent be while it is still learning its environment? We propose RATTL (Risk-Adversarial Total-Reward Learning), which ties caution to epistemic uncertainty: the agent holds a Bayesian posterior over unknown dynamics and plans against a Wasserstein ambiguity set whose radius is a monotone function of that posterior. The radius contracts with evidence, so behaviour interpolates continuously between worst-case robustness and risk-neutral total-reward maximization. The design follows the duality underlying the Entropic Value-at-Risk, which converts the choice of a risk level into the choice of an ambiguity radius. We show the resulting planning problem is well posed under transience and compactness conditions, and prove a Safety Sandwich: the RATTL value lies between the uninformed robust value and the full- knowledge optimum, with a gap that vanishes as the posterior concentrates. In a canonical binary-hazard instance, the induced criterion reduces to Conditional Value-at-Risk at a level set by the posterior entropy. A worked example shows the agent deferring the efficient action until a sharp identification threshold. RATTL targets runtime safety for agents, including LLM-based systems, acting under uncertainty.
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Systems and Control · Cross-listed from math.OC

Operator-based data embedding for data-driven control of continuous-time systems from noisy data

We propose a data-driven method for designing state-feedback gains that achieve stabilization, $H_2$-control, and $H_\infty$-control for continuous-time systems. The state-input data are assumed to be corrupted by process noise, measurement noise, and input disturbances. We first characterize the set of all systems consistent with the noisy data using operator-based data embedding. This characterization yields necessary and sufficient conditions for data informativity under a certain class of noise. These conditions are formulated as linear matrix inequalities, and the feedback gains are constructed from their solutions. To enable direct controller design from noisy sampled data for continuous-time systems, we also obtain an upper bound on the reconstruction error of continuous-time signals.
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Systems and Control

Infinite-Horizon Sparse Optimal Control: Solution through a Finite-Horizon Subproblem and Its Receding-Horizon Implementation

Sparse optimal control is considered in the infinite horizon. In the literature, sparse control has been considered mostly in a finite horizon for its formulation into a finite-dimensional optimization problem. It is shown in this paper that an optimal solution of the infinite-horizon sparse control problem can be obtained through a solution of some finite-horizon subproblem. This is due to sparsity of the optimal solution in the sense that the optimal control input is constantly equal to zero at its tail. An estimate is given on the horizon length required by this subproblem and its adaptive choice is also discussed. Implementation with a receding-horizon technique is considered and its optimality and sparsity are guaranteed.
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Systems and Control · Cross-listed from cs.IT

Dynamic Question Design for Efficient Estimation of Aggregate Human Preferences

This paper addresses the problem of efficiently estimating aggregate human preferences by dynamically adapting questions based on respondents'answers. To this end, we formulate and address two sub-problems: preference estimation and question design. First, regarding preference estimation, we model respondents' preferences and estimate them using Bayesian estimation, employing a particle filter as a computationally efficient approximation. The main theoretical contribution to this sub-problem is to analyze the preference estimation error using an information-theoretic approach, deriving a theoretical lower bound for the error. Second, regarding question design, we formulate the design problem as an Expected Information Gain maximization problem and employ an epsilon-greedy strategy to solve the problem in a computationally efficient way. We theoretically analyze the search efficiency of the approach, demonstrating that it achieves higher efficiency than a random search. Finally, we verify the effectiveness of the proposed method through numerical simulations.
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Systems and Control · Cross-listed from eess.SP

Multi-Sensor Edge Angle Detection for Performance Analysis in Ski Jumping

In ski jumping, performance during the gliding phase depends on achieving an aerodynamic posture that maximizes the lift-to-drag ratio. In the V-style technique, the ski edge angle is a key determinant. Reducing the edge angle flattens the skis, increases their effective surface area, and improves aerodynamic lift, ultimately contributing to longer flight distances. Ski edge angles are biomechanically constrained by the limited range of ankle inversion. Current sensing solutions widely quantify these angles using multi-system approaches that combine sensor signals through geometric relations. Such configurations require instrumentation on both the boot and the ski, altering mass distribution, affecting balance during flight, and increasing system complexity. To overcome these limitations, this work presents a wearable sensing system that measures both boot inclination and ski edge angle without modifying the ski surface. Two ultrasonic Time of Flight (ToF) sensors and an in-shoe Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) are integrated into a single boot-mounted unit. Edge angles are estimated by combining ultrasonic distance measurements with IMU data through geometric reconstruction of the boot-ski configuration. Laboratory experiments demonstrate an angle resolution of 0.4500{\deg}, a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 0.2640{\deg}, and a coefficient of determination exceeding 99% when compared with reference measurements, indicating strong linear agreement between the two modalities. The system achieves an end-to-end latency of 30.31 ms, enabling real-time feedback suitable for athlete training, while consuming 1.28 mW of power. With a total weight of only 18.6 g the proposed system enables unobtrusive measurement of ski edge angle and boot orientation.
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All authors Ivan Simeonov, Lukas Schulthess, Hanna Mueller, Marc Nölke, Michele Magno, Luca Benini, Christoph Leitner

Systems and Control

Universal Approximation of Maximal Lyapunov Functions with Anchored Neural Networks

Maximal Lyapunov functions encode the entire domain of attraction of an asymptotically stable equilibrium, but preserving strict decrease under neural approximation is difficult because its margin vanishes at the equilibrium. For systems locally dominated by an asymptotically stable homogeneous vector field, we construct a continuously differentiable maximal target and an anchored, positivity-preserving neural family. We prove semiglobal universal approximation: strict neural Lyapunov functions and their first derivatives can approximate the target on nested invariant sublevel sets that exhaust the domain of attraction. We also provide directly verifiable conditions under which a candidate neural Lyapunov function can be formally certified, and illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed neural architecture through numerical examples.
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Systems and Control

Integrated Heat and Power System Scheduling with Continuous-Time Thermal Dynamics via Bernstein-Galerkin Optimization

Coordinated scheduling of district heating networks (DHNs) and electric power systems can improve operational flexibility and reduce costs by exploiting thermal inertia. Most existing formulations rely on simplified discrete-time DHN models, which may inadequately represent continuous spatiotemporal thermal dynamics and can lead to biased flexibility estimation and suboptimal schedules. In this paper, an integrated heat and power system scheduling framework that explicitly incorporates the continuous-time thermal dynamics of DHNs is proposed. A Bernstein-Galerkin transform method is developed to convert the underlying partial-differential thermal-dynamics constraints into a finite set of algebraic constraints, enabling tractable optimization while retaining dynamic fidelity. The resulting model transforms the original infinite-dimensional variational problem into a finite-dimensional coefficient optimization that can be solved using optimization solvers. Compared with conventional discretization approaches, the proposed method provides a more accurate representation of thermal dynamics and yields schedules with improved economic performance and reliability.
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All authors Jie Deng, Zhigang Li, J. H. Zheng, Ye Guo

Systems and Control

Nonadaptive Learning in Robust Nonlinear Output Regulation

This paper considers robust nonadaptive regulation for general nonlinear systems in an output-feedback setting with arbitrarily high relative degree. We develop a nonadaptive design that combines an input-driven filter and a generic internal model with a recursive backstepping law, thereby recasting the regulation problem as the robust input-to-state stabilization of an augmented error system. Unlike adaptive schemes, the proposed method does not rely on linearly parameterized regressors and does not require the construction of Lyapunov functions having merely nonpositive derivatives. Under standard assumptions on the exosystem, including purely imaginary and simple eigenvalues, together with a minimum-phase input-to-state stability condition on the internal dynamics, we establish global asymptotic regulation and derive explicit, verifiable inequalities for selecting the design gains. The resulting nonadaptive framework guarantees convergence of the estimation and tracking errors even when the controlled-system dynamics are complex or only partially known. The effectiveness of the theoretical results is demonstrated using a benchmark controlled Duffing system.
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Systems and Control

Safe whole-body backstepping control for quadcopter path-following

This paper presents a novel whole-body Backstepping control strategy for safe quadcopter path-following. The proposed approach introduces an integrated control scheme that combines a translational guidance controller with a rigid-body attitude controller. To guarantee asymptotic path convergence, the method utilizes a nominal Integrated Guidance and Control (IGC) based on Artificial Vector Fields (AVF). To ensure reactive safety and collision avoidance, the control law is modified using a smooth distance function within the High-Order Control Barrier Function (HOCBF) framework. The quadcopter dynamics are modeled using quaternion algebra to represent position, velocity, and attitude. By combining the Backstepping approach with HOCBF, the controller guarantees that the vehicle avoids obstacle sets while successfully converging to the target path when unobstructed. The proposed methodology is validated through software-in-the-loop simulations and real-world experimental results using the Crazyflie platform.
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All authors Arthur H. D. Nunes, Arthur Da C. Vangasse, Guilherme V. Raffo, Vinicius M. Gonçalves, Luciano C. A. Pimenta

Systems and Control

A Hybrid End-to-End and Modular Control Architecture Toward Safe Vehicle Lateral Control: Combining Soft Actor-Critic with Model Predictive Control

Connected and automated vehicles demand lateral controllers that are simultaneously accurate, low-effort, and safe under model error and sensor noise. Modular controllers such as model predictive control (MPC) are interpretable and constraint-aware but rely on accurate models and hand-tuned weights. End-to-end learned policies, in particular continuous-action deep reinforcement learning, are adaptable and require no hand-designed control law, but offer no intrinsic safety guarantees and limited interpretability. This paper presents a hybrid architecture that combines an end-to-end Soft Actor-Critic (SAC) policy with a constrained linear MPC into a single steering command, using the MPC's first-step optimum as the model-based anchor and a single monotone blending coefficient that interpolates between the two paradigms. The architecture is evaluated on a linearized lateral bicycle model against a PID baseline, a tuned linear MPC, and a stand-alone SAC policy, across nominal, single-axis robustness, and multi-initial-condition ensemble experiments. The hybrid retains the tracking quality of stand-alone SAC while remaining inside the MPC's actuator envelope and preserving a deterministic, model-based contribution to every steering command. The architecture provides an actuator-envelope guarantee by construction but does not establish recursive feasibility or terminal invariance, and the closed-form blend does not prevent all corner-case divergences at the boundary of the training distribution. A corner-case analysis shows that the blend attenuates but cannot prevent failure under distribution shift, motivating a connectivity-aware extension in which the blending coefficient is scheduled by vehicle-to-everything (V2X) signals to restore model-based authority. Limitations and a path toward a constrained-QP predictive safety filter are discussed.
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Systems and Control

Balancing a Flying Inverted Pendulum with an Unknown Length Using Model Predictive Control and a Genetic Algorithm Estimator

This paper proposes an online Genetic Algorithm (GA) estimator and a Model Predictive Control (MPC) approach to solve the flying inverted pendulum problem in a practical experiment where the pendulum length is unknown. The performance of the MPC approach was demonstrated on a practical system through disturbance and trajectory tracking tests to assess controller robustness and tracking accuracy. The convergence speed and accuracy of the online GA estimator were validated on a practical system using different initial conditions.
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Systems and Control · Cross-listed from cs.CR

ADAPTD: Adaptive Detection and Proactive Threat Defense for Autonomous APT attacks

Advanced persistent threat (APT) actors increasingly employ sophisticated techniques to propagate laterally through segmented enterprise networks. Timely detection and defense depend on cross-subnetwork coordination, yet maintaining global situational awareness generates substantial communication overhead. To manage this tradeoff, flexible monitoring and adaptable containment are imperative. This paper presents ADAPTD, a communication- and computation-efficient, decision-theoretic framework integrating: (i) compact kill chains for identifying diverse attack vectors, (ii) an immediate blocking mechanism for timely containment, and (iii) a predictive eviction strategy to restore system security. Our experiments validate ADAPTD's effectiveness across diverse threat scenarios. First, our decentralized belief update scheme outperforms state-of-the-art diffusion HMM. Second, ADAPTD substantially reduces false evictions compared to transformer-based detection. Third, under noisy environments, adaptive blocking contains attackers while minimizing unnecessary disruption. Lastly, the ablation study confirms that combining two defensive actions significantly reduces the defender's total cost.
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