Better stability with measurement errors

Date
2016-06
Authors
Argun, A.
Volpe, G.
Editor(s)
Advisor
Supervisor
Co-Advisor
Co-Supervisor
Instructor
Source Title
Journal of Statistical Physics
Print ISSN
0022-4715
Electronic ISSN
Publisher
Springer New York LLC
Volume
163
Issue
6
Pages
1477 - 1485
Language
English
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Series
Abstract

Often it is desirable to stabilize a system around an optimal state. This can be effectively accomplished using feedback control, where the system deviation from the desired state is measured in order to determine the magnitude of the restoring force to be applied. Contrary to conventional wisdom, i.e. that a more precise measurement is expected to improve the system stability, here we demonstrate that a certain degree of measurement error can improve the system stability. We exemplify the implications of this finding with numerical examples drawn from various fields, such as the operation of a temperature controller, the confinement of a microscopic particle, the localization of a target by a microswimmer, and the control of a population.

Course
Other identifiers
Book Title
Citation
Published Version (Please cite this version)