Computing optimal experimental designs on finite sets by log-determinant gradient flow

Abstract: Optimal experimental designs are probability measures with finite support enjoying an optimality property for the computation of least squares estimators. We present an algorithm for computing optimal designs on finite sets based on the long-time asymptotics of the gradient flow of the log-determinant of the so called information matrix. We prove the convergence of the proposed algorithm, and provide a sharp estimate on the rate its convergence. Numerical experiments are performed on few test cases using the new matlab package OptimalDesignComputation.