We are pleased to share that two papers from our group have been accepted for presentation at the IFAC World Congress, which will take place in August 2026 in Busan, South Korea.
The first paper, “The Geometry of Hidden Modes in Distance-Based Formation Control” by Solomon Goldgraber Casspi and Daniel Zelazo, develops a geometric input-output framework for analyzing hidden (uncontrollable and unobservable) modes in formation control systems. By linearizing the dynamics around a target configuration, the work provides a complete geometric characterization of the uncontrollable subspace in terms of local rotational structures. A key result is a clear connection between these hidden modes and the system’s disturbance rejection properties, revealing a sharp dichotomy between perfect shape recovery and persistent distortion depending on the direction of applied inputs. arxiv
The second paper, “Symmetry-Based Formation Control on Cycle Graphs Using Dihedral Point Groups” by Zamir Martinez and Daniel Zelazo, introduces a symmetry-driven approach to formation control based on dihedral group constraints. The work shows that combining inter-agent reflection symmetries with a single anchored agent is sufficient to achieve fully symmetric formations using minimal communication. The resulting control laws rely on matrix-weighted Laplacians and guarantee exponential convergence, while also supporting coordinated maneuvering along time-varying trajectories. arxiv
We look forward to presenting these results at IFAC 2026 and engaging with the broader control community in Busan.