ITR: An Agent-Based Negotiation Framework for the Robust Design of Active-Passive Hybrid Piezoelectric Vibration Control Networks

PI's Name, Institution: Kon-Well Wang, Penn State University

Proposal Number: 0218597

Proposal Title: ITR - An Agent-Based Negotiation Framework for the Robust Design of Active-Passive Hybrid Piezoelectric Vibration Control Networks

Project Abstract

The objective of the proposed research is to investigate novel information technology (IT)-based approach for synthesizing electromechanically optimized smart structures. Specifically, we will develop an Agent-based Negotiation framework for the robust design of large-scale active-passive hybrid piezoelectric networks (APPN) for structural vibration control. The framework is to assist the designer in making high-level design decisions (e.g., the selection of circuit topology) and in analyzing the tradeoff among conflicting design objectives, which include the robustness requirement for dealing with model uncertainty. The research tasks include methodology development, system analysis, and experimental investigation. The goal of the education plan is to integrate the research with various educational programs at Penn State and achieve a broad range of impact on student learning.

The significance and impacts are: (a) This study will be a pioneer effort exploring the feasibility of utilizing IT to optimally tailor a large-scale electro-mechanically coupled smart structure system, considering design uncertainties, tradeoffs, and circuit topology selections. (b) The investigation will have significant impacts on agent-based technology because it addresses the increasingly important issue of negotiation among a structured team of collaborative agents. It can increase the scalability of agent teams and enable them to adapt themselves to avoid cognitive overload in complex domains such as distributed decision makings. (c) The research will have broad influence on many engineering systems. The automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, instrumentation and many other industries will benefit from the vibration control technologies developed based on the outcome of this investigation. (d) The educational efforts will have broad impact on teaching the next generation of engineers and IT workforce to utilize modern computer technology for solving large-scale complex engineering problems with uncertainties and conflicting design requirements.