drone flying

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.

Duke students hold a robotic vehicle

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 efforts 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:

Highlights

More MEMS research news
Three surgeons stand around a bed with a mannequin surrounded by machinery

Cross-Training Graduate Students to Develop Smart Robotic Surgical Instruments

Duke’s new NSF Research Traineeship Program brings engineers and computer scientists into the operating room to solve unmet surgical challenges
A tangled mess of blue lines criss-crossing a 3D graphical space with one red line zig-zagging through it

Coordinating Complex Behaviors Between Hundreds of Robots

A new approach to designing motion plans for multiple robots grows “trees” in the search space to solve complex problems in a fraction of the time
astronaut after having blood drawn from arm

NASA Climbs Aboard with Support for Robot Project

The robot can autonomously place an IV in an astronaut’s arm for crewed space missions and to improve access to healthcare on Earth.

Associated Faculty

Bridgeman

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.

Buckland

Daniel Buckland

Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine

Chen

Boyuan Chen

Assistant Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Research Interests: Robotics, computer vision, machine learning, AI for science

Codd

Patrick James Codd

Associate Professor of Neurosurgery

Cummings

Mary "Missy" Cummings

Adjunct 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.

Gavin

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.

Mann

Brian Mann

Professor in the Thomas Lord 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.

Ni

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

Oca

Siobhan Rigby Oca

Assistant Professor of The Practice in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Research Interests: Robotics Education, Medical Robotics, Human Robot Interaction, Engineering Education

Pajic

Miroslav Pajic

Dickinson Family Associate Professor

Research Interests: Design and analysis of autonomous cyber-physical systems (CPS), and in particular, embedded systems, AI, learning and controls, CPS security and high-assurance autonomy, with various application domains including robotics, automotive, and medical systems

Simmons

Rebecca Simmons

Professor of the Practice in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Sci

Virgin

Lawrence N. Virgin

Professor in the Thomas Lord Department 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…

Zavlanos

Michael Zavlanos

Professor in the Thomas Lord Department 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.