Finite Horizon Density Steering for Multi-input State Feedback Linearizable Systems

Abstract: In this paper, we study the feedback synthesis problem for steering the joint state density or ensemble subject to multi-input state feedback linearizable dynamics. This problem is of interest to many practical applications including that of dynamically shaping a robotic swarm. Our results here show that it is possible to exploit the structural nonlinearities to derive the feedback controllers steering the joint density from a prescribed shape to another while minimizing the expected control effort to do so. The developments herein build on our previous work, and extend the theory of the Schr\"{o}dinger bridge problem subject to feedback linearizable dynamics.