This project is a modular, computationally‐distributed multi‐robot cyberphysical system (CPS) for assisting young developmentally‐delayed children in learning to walk. Three challenges are stabilizing medio‐lateral body sway, developing gait that exploits energy exchange, and coordination of multiple degrees of freedom. Adults assisting children learning to walk provide a “scaffold” of postural supports that enables the child to safely explore the forces acting on its body.

Abstract: The project will demonstrate a Holonic Multi-agent System Architecture capable of adaptively controlling future electrical power distribution systems (PDS), which are expected to include a large number of renewable power generators, energy storage devices, and advanced metering and control devices. The project will produce a general, extensible, and secure cyber architecture based on holonic multi-agent principles to support adaptive PDS.

Abstract: Correct functioning of cyber-physical systems is of critical importance. This is more so in the case of safety critical systems such as in medical or automotive applications.

Abstract: CyberPhysical Systems (CPS) that self-modify to improve performance or repair damage often rewrite the modular relationships that make system modeling or Verification and Validation (V&V) possible. In this project, we are exploring methods to create self- modifying CPS systems that, in addition to self-improving or self-repairing, are also capable of maintaining system models that support the use of V&V techniques.

Abstract:  This project features conception, design, and deployment of a wireless network  of embedded devices, for monitoring the behavior of animals in the wild. The system is being deployed and tested in biologically relevant scenarios.

Abstract: Human motion-capture and computational analysis tools have played a significant role in a variety of  product-design  and  ergonomics  settings  for  over  a  quarter-century.  In  moving  beyond traditional kinematic (and its dual-static) settings, advances in biomechanics and multibody dynamics have led up to computational analysis tools that can provide significant insights into the functional performance.

Abstract: This project focuses on the formal design of semi-autonomous automotive Cyber Physical Systems (CPS). Rather than disconnecting the driver from the vehicle, the goal is to obtain a vehicle where the degree of autonomy is continuously changed in real-time as a function of certified uncertainty ranges in driver behavior and environment reconstruction.

Abstract: We propose a dual expert algorithm (DEA) to assist a mobile robot in learning a person’s preference of moving direction when the human encounters the robot in a typical hallway. When in use in hospital and office environments, a mobile robot will routinely encounter people who are not its primary user. These people need to feel comfortable around the robot for its implementation to be a success.

Abstract: Wireless sensor-actuator networks (WSAN) are systems consisting of numerous sensing and actuation devices that interact with the environment and coordinate their activities over a wireless communication network. WSANs represent an important class of cyber-physical system (CPS) found in our national civil infrastructure. This project addresses the issue of resilience in WSANs.

Abstract: The aim of this project is to lay down the foundations of a novel approach to real-time control of networked cyber-physical systems (CPS) that leverages their cooperative  nature. Most networked controllers  are not implementable over embedded digital computer systems because they rely on continuous time or synchronous executions that are costly to enforce.