Group decision making with multiple leaders: local rules, weighted networks and consensus. (6th November 2008)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Fei; Chen, Zengqiang; Liu, Zhongxin; Xiang, Linying; , Zhuzhi Yuan
• Is Part Of: International journal of systems, control and communications. Volume 1:Number 2(2008)
• Page Start: 227
• Page End: 239
• Publication Date: 2008-11-06
• Subjects: consensus -- multi-agent systems -- MAS -- multiple leaders -- graph Laplacian -- agent-based systems -- local rules -- complex systems -- switching topology -- weighted graphs -- group decisions -- decision making -- nearest neighbour -- autonomous agents -- weighted directed networks; Computer networks -- Periodicals; Intelligent control systems -- Periodicals; Systems engineering -- Periodicals; 004.605
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1755-9340

Abstract

In this paper, a realistic and simple discrete-time model based on nearest neighbour rules for describing the movements of autonomous agents is introduced. Two kinds of networks are considered here: weighted directed networks with fixed topology; weighted directed networks with switching topology. The analysis is based on a blend of graph-theoretic and system-theoretic tools. In addition to the stability analysis, the steady state of convergence is also analysed. It turns out that homogenous digraphs plays a central role in addressing average-consensus problems, where the notation 'leadership' is introduced to measure the influence of a node to the consensus of the group. Finally, numerical examples are included which find very good agreements with the analytical results.