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arXiv · 2206.10793

Energetic cost of feedback control

Jannik Ehrich·Susanne Still·David A. Sivak
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Abstract

Successful feedback control of small systems allows for the rectification of thermal fluctuations, converting them into useful energy; however, control itself requires work. This paper emphasizes the fact that the controller is a physical entity interacting with the feedback-controlled system. For a specifically designed class of controllers, reciprocal interactions become nonreciprocal due to large timescale separation, which considerably simplifies the situation. We introduce a minimally dissipative controller model, illustrating the findings using a simple example. We find that the work required to run the controller must at least compensate for the decrease in entropy due to the control operation.

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Jannik Ehrich, Susanne Still, David A. Sivak. 2022-06-22. Energetic cost of feedback control. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevresearch.5.023080

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