DEELOPMENTS IN ROBUST STOCHASTIC CONTROL;RISK-SENSITIVE AND MINIMAL COST VARIANCE CONTROL

Continuing advances in the formulation and solution of risk-sensitive control problems have reached a point at which this topic is becoming one of the more intriguing modern paradigms of feedback thought. Despite a prevailing atmosphere of close scrutiny of theoretical studies, the risk-sensitive body of knowledge is growing. Moreover, from the point of view of applications, the detailed properties of risk-sensitive design are only now beginning to be worked out. Accordingly, the time seems to be right for a survey of the historical underpinnings of the subject. This paper addresses the beginnings and the evolution, over the first quarter-century or so, and points out the close relationship of the topic with the notion of optimal cost cumulates, in particular the cost variance. It is to be expected that, in due course, some duality will appear between these notions and those in estimation and filtering. The purpose of this document is to help to lay a framework for that eventuality.