人物经历
1975年生于甘肃省临夏市；1991年以甘肃省前十名，临夏地区第一名考入清华大学自动化系就读；1996年保送入中国科学院读研；1999年硕士毕业后曾于多家公司从事软件开发数年；后考入清华大学自动化系，师从钟宜生教授攻读控制科学与工程博士学位；2010年毕业并获工学博士学位，随即在天津工业大学任教；2011年调入西北民族大学。
现为西北民大电气工程学院副教授，计算机系统结构专业硕士生导师，中国自动化学会高级会员，中国自动化学会混合智能专业委员会委员，入选国家民委中青年英才培养计划。
研究方向
目前主要研究兴趣为：非线性动力学系统分析与控制，代数图论，动态宏观经济系统分析
主要业余爱好是中国中古以后的文学理论研究，包括词论和叙事美学。
主要贡献
主持和参加的项目
* 2004~2006，“多工作点不确定非线性系统鲁棒控制研究”，国家自然科学基金项目(60374035) (参与)
* 2007~2009，“多工作点多变量非线性系统鲁棒控制研究”，国家自然科学基金项目(60674017) (参与)
* 2008~2010，“小型无人直升机自主导航与控制研究”，国家自然科学基金重点基金项目(60736024) (参与)
* 2011~2015，“物联网基础理论/平台研究”，国家973子课题，(2011CB302805) (参与)
* 2012~2015，“高阶奇异群系统一致性性研究/输出一致性”，国家自然科学基金项目子课题，(61174067) (主持)
* 2011~2013，“多主体系统群稳定性与群能控性研究”，天津工业大学优秀人才基金(主持)
* 2012~2015，“多智能体系统理论及其在动态经济学中的应用探索”，西北民族大学引进人才基金(主持)
* 2012~2013，“具有高阶动态协议的分隔网络系统运动定性分析”，中央高校基本科研业务费专项基金(主持)
* 2012~2016, “动态群系统的群能控性与群稳定性研究”，国家自然科学基金(61263002) (主持)
发表的代表性论文
(2017.10更新)：
*N. Cai, Y. Zhong, “Formation controllability of high order linear time-invariant swarm systems”, IET Control Theory Appl., 2010, 4(4), pp. 646-654. (SCI)
*N. Cai, J. Xi, Y. Zhong, “Swarm stability of high order linear time-invariant swarm systems”, IET Control Theory Appl., 2011, 5(2), pp. 402-408. (SCI)
*N. Cai, J. Xi, Y. Zhong, H. Ma, “Controllability improvement for linear time-invariant dynamical multi-agent systems”, Int. J. Innov. Comput. I., 2012, 8(5A), pp. 3315-3328. (SCI)
*N. Cai, J. Cao, H. Ma, C. Wang, "Swarm stability analysis of nonlinear dynamical multi-agent systems via relative Lyapunov function", Arab. J. Sci. Eng., 2014, 39(3), pp. 2427-2434. (SCI)
*N. Cai, J. Cao, M. Liu, H. Ma, “On controllability problems of high-order dynamical multi-agent systems”, Arab. J. Sci. Eng., 2014, 39(5), pp. 4261-4267. (SCI)
*N. Cai, J. Cao, M.J. Khan, “A controllability synthesis problem for dynamic multi-agent systems with linear high-order protocol”, Int. J. Control Automat. Syst., 2014, 12(6), pp. 1366-1371. (SCI)
*N. Cai, M.J. Khan, “On swarm stability of linear time-invariant descriptor compartmental networks”, IET Control Theory Appl., 2015, 9(5), pp. 793-800. (SCI)
*N. Cai, J. Cao, M.J. Khan, "Almost decouplability of any directed weighted network topology", Physica A, 2015, 436, pp. 637-645. (SCI)
*N. Cai, H. Ma, M.J. Khan, "Agent-based model for rural-urban migration: A dynamic consideration", Physica A, 2015, 436, pp. 806-813. (SCI)
*N. Cai, M.J. Khan, "On generalized controllability canonical form with multiple input variables", Int. J. Control Automat. Syst., 2017, 15(1), pp. 169-177. (SCI)
*N. Cai, "On quantitatively measuring controllability of complex networks", Physica A, 2017, 474, pp. 282-292. (SCI)
*N. Cai, C. Diao, M.J. Khan,"A novel clustering method based on quasi-consensus motions of dynamical multi-agent systems", Complexity, 2017, 4978613. (SCI)
*N. Cai, M. He, Q. Wu, M.J. Khan,"On almost controllability of dynamical complex networks with noises", J. Syst. Sci. Complexity, 2017, in press. (SCI)
*N. Cai, J. Xi, Y. Zhong, “Asymptotic swarm stability of high order dynamical multi-agent systems: Condition and application”, Control Intelli. Syst., 2012, 40(1), pp. 33-39. (EI)
*N. Cai, R. Sabatini, X. Dong, M.J. Khan, Y. Yu, "Decentralized modeling, analysis, control, and application of distributed dynamic systems", J. Control Sci. Eng., 2016, 8985017. (EI)
* H. Hu,N. Cai*, L. Cui, Y. Ren, W. Yu, “A neural-network based sliding mode controller of folding-boom aerial work platform”, Adv. Mech. Eng., 2017, in press. (SCI)
* J. Xi,N. Cai, Y. Zhong, “Consensus problems for high-order linear time-invariant swarm systems”, Physica A, 2010, 389(24), pp. 5619-5627. (SCI)
* J. Xi, H. Li,N. Cai, Y. Zhong, “Consensus of swarm systems with time delays and topology uncertainties”, IET Control Theory Appl., 2013, 7(8), pp. 1168-1178. (SCI)
* M. Asif, M.J. Khan,N. Cai, “Adaptive sliding mode dynamic controller with integrator in the loop for nonholonomic wheeled mobile robot trajectory tracking”, Int. J. Control, 2014, 87(5), pp. 964-975. (SCI)
* Y. Liu, K. Xie, T. Zhang,N. Cai*, "Trajectory planning with pose feedback for a dual-arm space robot", J. Control Sci. Eng., 2016,7021696. (EI)
