Reconstructing unknown external source functions is an important perception capability for a large range of robotics domains including manipulation, aerial, and underwater robotics. In this work, we propose a Physics-Informed Neural Network (PINN [1]) based approach for solving the inverse source problems in robotics, jointly identifying unknown source functions and the complete state of a system given partial and noisy observations. Our approach demonstrates several advantages over prior works (Finite Element Methods (FEM) and data-driven approaches): it offers flexibility in integrating diverse constraints and boundary conditions; eliminates the need for complex discretizations (e.g., meshing); easily accommodates gradients from real measurements; and does not limit performance based on the diversity and quality of training data. We validate our method across three simulation and real-world scenarios involving up to 4th order partial differential equations (PDEs), constraints such as Signorini and Dirichlet, and various regression losses including Chamfer distance and L2 norm.

In recent years we have witnessed a growth in mathematics for deep learning, which has been used to solve inverse problems of partial differential equations (PDEs). However, most deep learning-based inversion methods either require paired data or necessitate retraining neural networks for modifications in the conditions of the inverse problem, significantly reducing the efficiency of inversion and limiting its applicability. To overcome this challenge, in this paper, leveraging the score-based generative diffusion model, we introduce a novel unsupervised inversion methodology tailored for solving inverse problems arising from PDEs. Our approach operates within the Bayesian inversion framework, treating the task of solving the posterior distribution as a conditional generation process achieved through solving a reverse-time stochastic differential equation. Furthermore, to enhance the accuracy of inversion results, we propose an ODE-based Diffusion Posterior Sampling inversion algorithm. The algorithm stems from the marginal probability density functions of two distinct forward generation processes that satisfy the same Fokker-Planck equation. Through a series of experiments involving various PDEs, we showcase the efficiency and robustness of our proposed method.

Abstract:: In this paper, we develop an asymptotic expansion-regularization (AER) method for inverse source problems in two-dimensional nonlinear and nonstationary singularly perturbed partial differential equations (PDEs). The key idea of this approach is the use of the asymptotic-expansion theory, which allows us to determine the conditions for the existence and uniqueness of a solution to a given PDE with a sharp transition layer. As a by-product, we derive a simpler link equation between the source function and first-order asymptotic approximation of the measurable quantities, and based on that equation we propose an efficient inversion algorithm, AER, for inverse source problems. We prove that this simplification will not decrease the accuracy of the inversion result, especially for inverse problems with noisy data. Abstract: This paper concerns the use of asymptotic expansions for the efficient solving of forward and inverse problems involving a nonlinear singularly perturbed time-dependent reaction -- diffusion -- advection equation.