Optimal Transport-Based Decentralized Multi-Agent Distribution Matching

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Author: Lee, Kooktae
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Lee, Kooktae
author_facet Lee, Kooktae
contents This paper presents a decentralized control framework for distribution matching in multi-agent systems (MAS), where agents collectively achieve a prescribed terminal spatial distribution. The problem is formulated using optimal transport (Wasserstein distance), which provides a principled measure of distributional discrepancy and serves as the basis for the control design. To avoid solving the global optimal transport problem directly, the distribution-matching objective is reformulated into a tractable per-agent decision process, enabling each agent to identify its desired terminal locations using only locally available information. A sequential weight-update rule is introduced to construct feasible local transport plans, and a memory-based correction mechanism is incorporated to maintain reliable operation under intermittent and range-limited communication. Convergence guarantees are established, showing cycle-wise improvement of a surrogate transport cost under both linear and nonlinear agent dynamics. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed framework achieves effective and scalable distribution matching while operating fully in a decentralized manner.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_00548
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Optimal Transport-Based Decentralized Multi-Agent Distribution Matching
Lee, Kooktae
Systems and Control
Robotics
This paper presents a decentralized control framework for distribution matching in multi-agent systems (MAS), where agents collectively achieve a prescribed terminal spatial distribution. The problem is formulated using optimal transport (Wasserstein distance), which provides a principled measure of distributional discrepancy and serves as the basis for the control design. To avoid solving the global optimal transport problem directly, the distribution-matching objective is reformulated into a tractable per-agent decision process, enabling each agent to identify its desired terminal locations using only locally available information. A sequential weight-update rule is introduced to construct feasible local transport plans, and a memory-based correction mechanism is incorporated to maintain reliable operation under intermittent and range-limited communication. Convergence guarantees are established, showing cycle-wise improvement of a surrogate transport cost under both linear and nonlinear agent dynamics. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed framework achieves effective and scalable distribution matching while operating fully in a decentralized manner.
title Optimal Transport-Based Decentralized Multi-Agent Distribution Matching
topic Systems and Control
Robotics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.00548