Crowd Modeling and Control via Cooperative Adaptive Filtering

Abstract: This paper introduces a crowd modeling and motion control approach that employs diffusion adaptation within an adaptive network. In the network, nodes collaboratively address specific estimation problems while simultaneously moving as agents governed by certain motion control mechanisms. Our research delves into the behaviors of agents when they encounter spatial constraints. Within this framework, agents pursue several objectives, such as target tracking, coherent motion, and obstacle evasion. Throughout their navigation, they demonstrate a nature of self-organization and self-adjustment that drives them to maintain certain social distances with each other, and adaptively adjust their behaviors in response to the environmental changes. Our findings suggest a promising approach to mitigate the spread of viral pandemics and averting stampedes.