Charles Cao

About

Charles Cao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at Virginia Tech, located in the Center for Quantum Information Science and Engineering. His research focuses on Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics and String Theory. He holds a Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology. His work involves exploring fundamental aspects of condensed matter systems and string theoretical frameworks, contributing to the understanding of complex physical phenomena. He is based at the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, VA, and can be contacted via email at cjcao@vt.edu.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Artificial Intelligence
• Engineering
• Mathematics
• Control engineering
• Mathematical optimization

Selected publications

• L1-Adaptive MPPI Architecture for Robust and Agile Control of Multirotors

  arXiv (Cornell University) · 2020 · 21 citations

  This paper presents a multirotor control architecture, where Model Predictive Path Integral Control (MPPI) and L1 adaptive control are combined to achieve both fast model predictive trajectory planning and robust trajectory tracking. MPPI provides a framework to solve nonlinear MPC with complex cost functions in real-time. However, it often lacks robustness, especially when the simulated dynamics are different from the true dynamics. We show that the L1 adaptive controller robustifies the archit…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Robust Adaptive Control of Linear Parameter-Varying Systems with Unmatched Uncertainties

  arXiv (Cornell University) · 2020-10-09 · 5 citations

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  In controlling systems with large operating envelopes, it is often necessary to adjust the desired dynamics according to operating conditions. This paper presents a robust adaptive control architecture for linear parameter-varying (LPV) systems that allows for the desired dynamics to be systematically scheduled, while being able to handle a broad class of uncertainties, both matched and unmatched, which can depend on both time and states. The proposed controller adopts an L1 adaptive control arc…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• NRI-Small: Cooperative Underwater Robotic Networks for Discovery & Rescue

  NSF · $568k · 2012–2015

Frequent coauthors

• Naira Hovakimyan

  119 shared

• Enric Xargay

  University of Michigan–Ann Arbor

  28 shared

• Isaac Kaminer

  Naval Postgraduate School

  24 shared

• Vladimir Dobrokhodov

  Naval Postgraduate School

  24 shared

• Irene M. Gregory

  Langley Research Center

  24 shared

• Eugene Lavretsky

  23 shared

• Vijay Patel

  Aeronautical Development Agency

  14 shared

• Jie Luo

  Chinese Academy of Sciences

  13 shared

Labs

• Center for Quantum Information Science and EngineeringPI

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