Deception and Risk-Sensitive Behaviors in Games with Asymmetric Information: A Pursuit-Evasion Case Study

Abstract: Games with asymmetric information involve situations where one player possesses knowledge that the other player does not. This is particularly evident in military engagements, where the “fog of war” plays a critical role in the decision-making process. In such scenarios, two distinct behaviors can be observed. The more informed player tends to adopt deceptive strategies aimed at imposing losses on the opponent. Conversely, the less informed player seeks to mitigate losses caused by the information disadvantage by adopting a risk-averse strategy.
In this talk, we present a novel approach for the more informed player to incorporate deception in a two-agent differential game with asymmetric information. We propose sensitivity function-based risk estimates for the less informed player to effectively address the information disadvantage. The efficacy of the proposed techniques is demonstrated through a pursuit-evasion case study involving a pursuer, an evader, and a moving obstacle whose exact position and velocity are known only to one of the players (the evader in this case). Finally, we explore the relevance of deception for the evader using the concept of dependent reachable sets.

Speaker : Dr. Venkata Ramana Makkapati

Biography:

Dr. Venkata Ramana Makkapati is currently working at Honda Aircraft Company as an AFCS & Advanced Research Engineer. His research interests include optimal control and differential games, with a focus on autonomous vehicles, safe path planning, and airspace security. He received his B.Tech. from IIT Madras in 2014 and M.Tech. from IIT Kanpur in 2016, both in Aerospace Engineering. He obtained his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering and an M.S. in Computational Science and Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA. Ramana is an FAA-certified Private Pilot and holds the United States Parachute Association (USPA) A license.

Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/43166057134136?p=TqzW03cjZvsMTgCwMN
Meeting ID: 431 660 571 341 36
Passcode: Yw6Ab2NU