Tengfei Liu

Professor, PhD Supervisor

Email: tfliu@mail.neu.edu.cn

Mobile/WeChat: 13840568071

The research group recruits 3 master's students and 2 PhD students each year and welcomes undergraduates to join early and participate in research projects. Specific research directions can be chosen based on personal interests.

Research Directions: Nonlinear control, autonomous decision-making and control for drones/unmanned vehicles/robots

Future Prospects: PhD students often pursue further studies abroad or teach at universities; master's students typically engage in intelligent or control algorithm development at high-tech companies.

I have received funding from the National Distinguished Young Scholar and Excellent Young Scholar programs, served as an editorial board member for the IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control and Systems and Control Letters, and have been the third co-recipient of the National Natural Science Second Prize. Students in my research group are encouraged to publish prestigious journals like IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control and Automatica (acceptance rate 96.7%). Most PhD students have published papers in top control journals and have won Best Paper Awards at international conferences, later engaging in teaching and research at universities. Master's students have won awards in significant national and international competitions (including first place in the International Micro Air Vehicle Competition outdoor event) and primarily develop intelligent or control algorithms (e.g., at DJI) or pursue further studies after graduation.

Selected Journal Publications

• Y. Wang, T. Liu, H. Shim, G.A. Rovithakis and Z.P. Jiang, "A Lyapunov Characterization of Prescribed Performance Control Systems," IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, 2022 (accepted). 

• Z. Qin, T. Liu, T. Liu, Z.P. Jiang, and T. Chai, "Distributed Feedback Optimization of Nonlinear Uncertain Systems Subject to Inequality Constraints," IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control (accepted). 

• H. Li, T. Liu, and Z.P. Jiang, "A Lyapunov-Based Small-Gain Theorem for a Network of Finite-Time Input-to-State Stable Systems," IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, vol. 69, pp. 1052–1059, 2024. 

• M. Wang, T. Liu, and Z.P. Jiang, "Robust Saturated Stabilization with Measurement Errors: From a Chain of Integrators to Feedforward Systems," IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, vol. 68, pp. 6664–6679, 2023. 

• S. Wu, T. Liu, M. Egerstedt, and Z.P. Jiang, "Quadratic Programming for Continuous Control of Safety-Critical Multi-Agent Systems Under Uncertainty," IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, vol. 68, pp. 6664–6679, 2023. 

• P. Zhang, T. Liu, and Z.P. Jiang, "Tracking Control of Unicycle Mobile Robots with Event-Triggered and Self-Triggered Feedback," IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, vol. 68, pp. 2261–2276, 2023. 

• S. Wu, T. Liu, and Z.P. Jiang, "Continuous Safety Control of Mobile Robots in Cluttered Environments," IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, vol. 7, pp. 8012–8019, 2022. 

• Z. Qin, T. Liu, and Z.P. Jiang, "Adaptive Backstepping for Distributed Optimization," Automatica, vol. 141, article 110304, 2022. 

• Z. Qin, L. Jiang, T. Liu, and Z.P. Jiang, "Distributed Optimization for Uncertain Euler-Lagrange Systems with Local and Relative Measurements," Automatica, vol. 139, article 110113, 2022. 

• Z. Xu, T. Liu, and Z.P. Jiang, "Nonlinear Integral Control with Event-Triggered Feedback: Unknown Decay Rates, Zeno-Freeness, and Asymptotic Convergence," Automatica, vol. 139, article 110028, 2022. 

• T. Liu, Z. Qin, Y. Hong, and Z.P. Jiang, "Distributed Optimization of Nonlinear Multi-Agent Systems: A Small-Gain Approach," IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, vol. 67, pp. 676–691, 2022. 

• F. Zhao, W. Gao, T. Liu, and Z.P. Jiang, "Adaptive Optimal Output Regulation of Linear Discrete-Time Systems Based on Event-Triggered Output-Feedback," Automatica, vol. 137, article 110103, 2022. 

• T. Liu, Z. Qin, and Z.P. Jiang, "A New Look at Distributed Optimal Output Agreement of Multi-Agent Systems," Automatica, vol. 136, article 110053, 2022. 

• Y. Wang, T. Liu, and Z.P. Jiang, "Systematic Design of Supervisory Controllers for a Class of Uncertain Nonlinearly Parameterized Systems," Automatica, vol. 135, article 109991, 2022. 

• Z.L. Zhao, Z.P. Jiang, T. Liu, and T. Chai, "Global Finite-Time Output-Feedback Stabilization of Nonlinear Systems Under Relaxed Conditions," IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, vol. 66, pp. 4259–4266, 2020. 

• P. Zhang, T. Liu, and Z.P. Jiang, "Event-Triggered Stabilization of a Class of Nonlinear Time-Delay Systems," IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, vol. 66, pp. 421–428, 2021. 

• P. Zhang, T. Liu, and Z.P. Jiang, "Systematic Design of Robust Event-Triggered State and Output Feedback Controllers for Uncertain Nonholonomic Systems," IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, vol. 66, pp. 213–228, 2021. 

• Z.L. Zhao, T. Chai, C. Wei, D. Liu, T. Liu, and Z.P. Jiang, "Compensation-Signal-Driven Control for a Class of Nonlinear Uncertain Systems," Automatica, vol. 125, article 109423, 2021. 

• T. Liu, J. Qi, and Z.P. Jiang, "Distributed Containment Control of Multi-Agent Systems with Velocity and Acceleration Saturations," Automatica, vol. 117, article 108992, 2020. 

• T. Liu and Z.P. Jiang, "Distributed Control of Multi-Agent Systems with Pulse-Width-Modulated Controllers," Automatica, vol. 119, article 109020, 2020. 

• A. Bao, T. Liu, and Z.P. Jiang, "An IOS Small-Gain Theorem for Large-Scale Hybrid Systems," IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, vol. 64, pp. 1295–1300, 2019. 

• T. Liu and Z.P. Jiang, "Event-Triggered Control of Nonlinear Systems with State Quantization," IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, vol. 64, pp. 797–803, 2019. 

• T. Liu, P. Zhang, and Z.P. Jiang, "Event-Triggered Input-to-State Stabilization of Nonlinear Systems Subject to Disturbances and Dynamic Uncertainties," Automatica, vol. 108, article 108488, 2019. 

• Z.P. Jiang and T. Liu, "Small-Gain Theory for Stability and Control of Dynamical Networks: A Survey," Annual Reviews in Control, vol. 46, pp. 58–79, 2018. 

• Z. Wu, T. Liu, Z.P. Jiang, and T. Chai, "Nonlinear Control Tools for Fused Magnesium Furnaces: Design and Implementation," IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, vol. 64, pp. 7248–7257, 2018. 

• T. Liu and Z.P. Jiang, "Event-Based Control of Nonlinear Systems with Partial State and Output Feedback," Automatica, vol. 53, pp. 10–22, 2015. 

• T. Liu and Z.P. Jiang, "A Small-Gain Approach to Robust Event-Triggered Control of Nonlinear Systems," IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, vol. 60, no. 8, pp. 2072–2085, 2015. 

• T. Liu and Z.P. Jiang, "Distributed Nonlinear Control of Mobile Autonomous Multi-Agents," Automatica, vol. 50, no. 4, pp. 1075–1086, 2014. 

• T. Liu and Z.P. Jiang, "Distributed Output-Feedback Control of Nonlinear Multi-Agent Systems," IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, vol. 58, no. 11, pp. 2912–2917, 2013. 

• T. Liu and Z.P. Jiang, "Distributed Formation Control of Nonholonomic Mobile Robots Without Global Position Measurements," Automatica, vol. 49, no. 2, pp. 592–600, 2013. 

• T. Liu, Z.P. Jiang, and D.J. Hill, "Decentralized Output-Feedback Control of Large-Scale Nonlinear Systems with Sensor Noise," Automatica, vol. 48, no. 10, pp. 2560–2568, 2012. 

• T. Liu, Z.P. Jiang, and D.J. Hill, "Lyapunov Formulation of the ISS Cyclic-Small-Gain Theorem for Hybrid Dynamical Networks," Nonlinear Analysis: Hybrid Systems, vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 988–1001, 2012. 

• T. Liu, Z.P. Jiang, and D.J. Hill, "Small-Gain Based Output-Feedback Controller Design for a Class of Nonlinear Systems with Actuator Dynamic Quantization," IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, vol. 57, no. 5, pp. 1326–1332, 2012. 

• T. Liu, Z.P. Jiang, and D.J. Hill, "Quantized Stabilization of Strict-Feedback Nonlinear Systems Based on ISS Cyclic-Small-Gain Theorem," Mathematics of Control, Signals, and Systems, vol. 24, no. 1–2, pp. 75–110, 2012. 

• T. Liu, D.J. Hill, and Z.P. Jiang, "Lyapunov Formulation of the Large-Scale, ISS Cyclic-Small-Gain Theorem: The Discrete-Time Case," Systems and Control Letters, vol. 61, no. 1, pp. 266–272, 2012. 

• T. Liu, Z.P. Jiang, and D.J. Hill, "A Sector Bound Approach to Feedback Control of Nonlinear Systems with State Quantization," Automatica, vol. 48, no. 1, pp. 145–152, 2012. 

• T. Liu, D.J. Hill, and Z.P. Jiang, "Lyapunov Formulation of ISS Small-Gain in Continuous-Time Dynamical Networks," Automatica, vol. 47, no. 9, pp. 2088–2093, 2011.