Our research project OCARINA has been funded through the AAPG 2025 call of Agence Nationale de la Recherche, committee 48. (link)
OCARINA: Optimal Control frAmework for Robust Iterative NonlineAr experimental design
P.I. L. Sacchelli
Members. N. Augier (CNRS), B. Cessac (Inria), A. Scagliotti (TUM), R. Shevchenko (UniCA)
Summary. Experimental design focuses on optimizing data acquisition and utilization to minimize experimental burdens. For parameter identification in model-based input-output systems, a common approach involves optimizing the Fisher information matrix to reduce uncertainty stemming from the stochastic nature of experiments. When the input-output model is rooted in a dynamical system, this can be recast as an optimal control problem. The focus of project OCARINA is to explore the contributions of geometric control theory to experimental design, particularly by refining existing work and defining new foundational examples that will guide algorithm development.
In the nonlinear context, a critical challenge is that optimal solutions should incorporate prior information. A solution is to design experiments in a closed loop, where each new iteration relies on the latest estimate. However, this approach fails to consider uncertainty. From the viewpoint of control systems, we choose to model the parameter unknown by a system ensemble characterized by a distributed parameter. By applying optimality principles from ensemble control, we can devise innovative strategies that integrate uncertainty into the design of optimal experiments.
The project is motivated by a neuroscience example. Experimental setups have been developed to investigate retinal perception by placing live retinas on multi-electrode arrays and stimulating them with light to record responses. Before the data can be fully utilized, a model-tuning process is necessary to determine the appropriate stimuli. However, the limited lifespan of retinas means that any time spent on parameter tuning results in a significant loss of valuable resources. Applying the solutions developed in project OCARINA to this problem is a core objective of the project. This application will not only tackle the immediate challenges but also guide how we approach the fundamental questions raised by experimental design.
