Output Feedback Consensus for Networked Heterogeneous Nonlinear Negative-Imaginary Systems with Free-Body Motion

This article provides a protocol to address the robust output feedback consensus problem for networked heterogeneous nonlinear negative-imaginary (NI) systems with free body dynamics. We extend the definition of nonlinear NI systems to allow for systems with free-body motion. A new stability result is developed for the interconnection of a nonlinear NI system and a nonlinear output strictly negative-imaginary (OSNI) system. Also, a class of networked nonlinear OSNI controllers is proposed to achieve output feedback consensus for heterogeneous networked nonlinear NI systems. We show that in this control framework, the system outputs converge to the same limit trajectory. This consensus protocol is illustrated by a numerical example.