A leader-following consensus problem of multi-agent systems in heterogeneous networks

Within a differential-algebraic framework, this paper studies the leader-following consensus problem for networks of a class of strictly different nonlinear systems. In this case, by allowing any type of interplay between followers and assuming a directed spanning tree in the network, a dynamic consensus protocol with diffusive coupling terms is designed to achieve the leader-following consensus. In this setting, it is revealed that the full closed loop network can be interpreted as an input-to-state convergent system. Moreover, with the premise that differential-algebraic techniques allow us to completely characterize its synchronization manifold, a stability analysis for this manifold is presented. Finally, the effectiveness of the approach is shown in two numerical examples that consider a network of chaotic systems. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.