Welcome to the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems
The Laboratory of Intelligent Systems (LIS) directed by Prof. Dario Floreano focuses on the development of robotic systems and artificial intelligence methods inspired by biological principles of self-organization. Currently, we address three interconnected research areas:
Flying Robots
We have developed a series of vision-based robots, with weights between 1.5 and 30 grams, capable of flying indoor without human intervention. Current research efforts focus on shape, aerodynamics, mechatronics, vision processing, and control of such machines. Biological inspiration in mechatronic design, materials, and control allowed us to break several world records in miniaturized autonomous flyers. Such robots include both wing and rotor based systems, as well as jumping gliders. They operate either as individual units or in swarm formation. In addition to indoor flying robots, outdoor flying robots (less than 300g) are being developed that won't need GPS or classic autopilot systems for autonomous navigation.
Artificial Evolution
We have developed several novel approaches to artificial evolution of complex embedded systems characterized by non-linear interactions of multiple hardware and software components. The application to robotics, known as Evolutionary Robotics, is a classic specialty of the laboratory. Current research efforts aim at evolutionary synthesis of analog electrical circuits, learning neural controllers, reverse engineering of biological networks (genetic and metabolic networks), and biomedical signal processing.
Social Systems
In collaboration with evolutionary and behavioral biologists, we have synthesized methods for control of systems composed of multiple agents and processes that can display altruistic cooperation, division of labor, and communication. These methods are applied and developed in teams of robots (wheeled and flying) as well as to the investigation of biological theories of emergence of cooperation and communication in insect societies. Current efforts are aimed at development of novel hardware and control methods that can profit from such developments, such as multiple and expendable robots for search and rescue, monitoring, and exploration of areas dangerous for humans.
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