M-matrix strategies for pinning-controlled leader-following consensus in multiagent systems with nonlinear dynamics

This paper considers the leader-following consensus problem for multiagent systems with inherent nonlinear dynamics. Some M-matrix strategies are developed to address several challenging issues in the pinning control of multiagent systems by using algebraic graph theory and the properties of nonnegative matrices. It is shown that second-order leader-following consensus in a nonlinear multiagent system can be reached if the virtual leader has a directed path to every follower and a derived quantity is greater than a positive threshold. In particular, this paper analytically proves that leader-following consensus may be easier to be achieved by pinning more agents or increasing the pinning feedback gains. A selective pinning scheme is then proposed for nonlinear multiagent systems with directed network topologies. Numerical results are given to verify the theoretical analysis.