FAU Lands $2.2M Air Force Grant to Build Collaborative Autonomous Systems
Florida Atlantic University's Center for Connected Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence has secured a $2.25 million grant from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory to develop networks of autonomous systems that work together rather than independently.
The problem the research addresses is straightforward: today's autonomous machines operate intelligently on their own but struggle to coordinate as part of a larger system. In contested or complex environments, this gap between individual capability and collective performance becomes a critical limitation.
The three-year project brings together FAU, the University at Buffalo, and the University of Minnesota. Dimitris Pados, director of the center and principal investigator, said the team is investigating "how connected AI machines and robots can operate together to solve complex problems."
Moving computation to the edge
The research moves away from cloud-dependent systems toward what researchers call networked edge-AI. Autonomous systems will perform sensing and AI inference directly on board while communicating with one another, functioning as coordinated teams rather than isolated units.
The team is developing machine learning technologies that allow systems to sense their communication environment and automatically adapt how they transmit data. This approach maintains strong, secure connections even in degraded or contested conditions by embedding AI directly into wireless communication systems.
The work builds on research highlighted in Nature Reviews as a breakthrough in the field.
Three research pillars
The project is organized around three areas:
- Development of secure networked edge-AI algorithms for learning and inference
- Implementation of these capabilities into hardware spanning processors, GPUs, and FPGAs
- Workforce development training students from high school through doctoral level in AI-driven networking and robotics
The Air Force Research Laboratory has invested more than $8 million in joint research between FAU and the University at Buffalo over the past several years, supporting advances in programmable wireless networking.
Stella Batalama, dean of FAU's College of Engineering and Computer Science, said the award "reinforces Florida Atlantic University's role as a leader in next-generation technologies." The ability for autonomous systems to communicate and learn collaboratively, she added, "will redefine the future of intelligent systems and strengthen our nation's technological leadership and security."
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