The objective of this research is to understand how pervasive information changes energy production, distribution and use. The design of a more scalable and flexible electric infrastructure, encouraging efficient use, integrating local generation, and managing demand through awareness of energy availability and use over time, is investigated. The approach is to develop a cyber overlay on the energy distribution system in its physical manifestations: machine rooms, buildings, neighborhoods, isolated generation islands and regional grids.

The objective of this research is to develop a theory of ?ActionWebs?, that is, networked embedded sensor-rich systems, which are taskable for coordination of multiple decision-makers. The approach is to first identify models of ActionWebs using stochastic hybrid systems, an interlinking of continuous dynamical physical models with discrete state representations of interconnection and computation. Second, algorithms will be designed for tasking individual sensors, based on information objectives for the entire system.

The objective of this research is to study the formal design and verification of advanced vehicle dynamics control systems. The approach is to consider the vehicle-driver-road system as a cyber-physical system (CPS) by focusing on three critical components: (i) the tire-road interaction; (ii) the driver-vehicle interaction; and (iii) the controller design and validation.  

The objective of this research is to enable operation of synthetic and cyborg insects in complicated environments, such as outdoors or in a collapsed building. As the mobile platforms and environment have significant uncertainty, learning and adaptation capabilities are critical. Success in this research project will bring society closer to solving the grand challenge of teams of mobile, disposable, search and rescue robots which can robustly locomote through uncertain and novel environments, finding survivors in disaster situations, while removing r