Robotics and Autonomous Systems

Caltech scientists and engineers work at the cutting edge of technology to design the next generation of autonomous systems, advancing the fields of drone research, autonomous exploration, and bio-inspired systems. Among these pioneering efforts are prosthetic legs that use machine learning to adjust to a wearer's gait; flying, self-driving ambulances; and self-organizing drone swarms for space exploration. And that is just the beginning.

This research is built upon Caltech's enduring commitment to interdisciplinary expertise, and it incorporates contributions from fields such as control theory, machine learning, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer vision and technology, information science, and neuroscience. The work, including that of Caltech's Center for Autonomous Systems and Technologies, relies on funding from multiple federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the U.S. Office of Naval Research.

In merging fundamental science with robotic applications, Caltech is advancing new systems and technologies that have the potential to change everything from human health to space exploration to how we respond to natural disasters.