Distributed Adaptive Neural Interval Observers for Unknown Nonlinear Systems

Abstract

This paper develops a distributed adaptive neural interval observer for unknown nonlinear systems with locally incomplete measurements. Each sensor node constructs lower and upper state estimates using its local output and neighboring observer information, while unknown nonlinear dynamics are approximated by adaptive neural models. A distributed adaptation mechanism guarantees bounded estimation and weight errors, whereas a cooperative realization preserves the componentwise interval property. To enhance neural-weight convergence without requiring persistent excitation, a finite experience-replay integral concurrent-learning mechanism is incorporated into the adaptation law. For non-Metzler error dynamics, a Sylvester-based coordinate transformation is introduced to recover a Hurwitz--Metzler distributed realization. The theoretical developments are validated through a nonlinear distributed estimation example.