Marie Curie EU funded project on Asynchronous Networks



Applications

There is a wide range of possible applications of asynchronous networks in many areas of contemporary technology and science. In the proposal, the focus was mainly on applications in electrical engineering, computer science and neuroscience, notably mechanisms for adaptive learning such as Spike-Timing Dependent Plasticity. Taking account of the strong electrical engineering group at Imperial in Power & Control, and the new results and insights on functional asynchronous networks, it was natural to focus on potential applications of asynchronous networks in the area of microgrids and smart grids. In particular, problems of load balancing in a complex power grid, subject to cost minimization, and with many microgrids capable of running independently of the main grid. The varying connection structure (grid topology) combined with a mix of decentralized control, adaptivity and stochastic effects make this a natural setting for asynchronous networks. Problems on power grids continue to be the current focus for applications. Apart from meeting with members of the Power & Control group at Imperial, the Fellow is co-organizer of a proposed workshop at the Newton Institute in the general area of control and optimization in power networks. This work is ongoing. Concerning other potential applications raised in the proposal, work has continued on developing visualization code related to learning and spike-timing dependent plasticity and some of the code is being now adapted to power grid models.

email: mikefield@gmail.com

Professor Mike Field
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of California
Santa Barbara, CA 93106