Observer-Based Consensus Control for MASs With Prescribed Constraints via Reinforcement Learning Algorithm

In this article, an adaptive optimal consensus control problem is studied for multiagent systems (MASs) with external disturbances, unmeasurable states, and prescribed constraints. First, by using neural networks (NNs), a composite observer is constructed to estimate the unmeasurable states and disturbances simultaneously. Then, the consensus error is guaranteed within a prescribed boundary by presenting an improved prescribed performance control (PPC) technique, and the initial conditions for the error are eliminated. In addition, the updating laws of actor-critic NNs are established by using a simplified reinforcement learning (RL) algorithm based on the uniqueness of optimal solution, and the asymmetric input saturation is resolved by designing auxiliary system instead of using nonquadratic cost functions in other optimal control methods. Finally, the boundedness of all signals in the closed-loop system is proved by using Lyapunov stability theory. The effectiveness of the proposed control method is verified by a simulation example.