Autonomous Systems
Duke MEMS researchers are at work on new control, optimization, learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) methods for autonomous dynamical systems that can make independent intelligent decisions and learn in uncertain, unstructured, and unpredictable environments. We design autonomous systems that span robotics, cyber-physical systems, internet of things, and medicine.
Research Areas
- Autonomous medical devices and systems
- Control theory and optimization
- Cyber-physical systems
- Human-autonomy systems
- Machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI)
- Networked and distributed systems
- Robotics, autonomous systems, surgical robotics
- Nonlinear dynamics and systems
Major Centers & Initiatives
Externally funded research centers in autonomy which Duke leads, or is a partner, include:
Related Study Opportunities
PhD
Specializations include:
Master of Science (MS) or Master of Engineering (MEng)
Concentrations include:
Associated Faculty
Leila Bridgeman
Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Research Interests: Robust and optimal control, linear matrix inequalities (LMIs), model predictive control (MPC), delayed systems, input-output stability, passivity.
Brian Mann
Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Research Interests: Nonlinear dynamics and vibration utilizing analytical, numerical, and experimental techniques. Fundamental investigations of phenomenon and application areas where dynamical systems theory plays an important role.
Xiaoyue Ni
Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Research Interests: Flexible electronics, precision measurement, non-destructive testing, deformation physics of random media, mechanical metamaterials, robotic materials and smart structures, machine learning
Rebecca Simmons
Associate Professor of the Practice in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Lawrence N. Virgin
Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Research Interests: Study of the behavior of nonlinear dynamical systems, including the investigation of the fundamental nature of nonlinear systems based on a mathematical description of their underlying equations of motion and the application of recent results from nonlinear dynamical systems...
Michael Zavlanos
Yoh Family Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Research Interests: Control theory, optimization, and learning; in particular, robotics and autonomous systems, networked and distributed control systems, and cyber-physical systems.
Daniel Buckland
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Research Interests: Medical device development, acute care technology, space medicine, remote medicine, autonomous medical devices.
Patrick James Codd
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
Research Interests: Minimally invasive neurosurgical device development and neurosurgical robotics.
Mary "Missy" Cummings
Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Research Interests: Human-unmanned vehicle interaction, human-autonomous system collaboration, human-systems engineering, public policy implications of unmanned vehicles, and the ethical and social impact of technology.
Henri P. Gavin
Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Research Interests: Structural dynamics, earthquake engineering, seismic hazard mitigation for building contents, nonlinear dynamics, system identification, optimal control with application to systems with controllable damping.