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Florida Atlantic University recently received a $2.2 million grant to do more research on artificial intelligence.
Florida Atlantic University (FAU) has been awarded a significant $2.2 million grant to further its research in artificial intelligence. Dimitris Pados, a professor and the director of FAU’s Center for Connected Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence within the College of Engineering and Computer Science, shared insights into the ongoing work facilitated by this funding.
Pados explained that FAU’s center is unique for its strong emphasis on 'connected robotics and AI.' He drew an analogy to the computing revolution, comparing early standalone personal computers to the transformative power of the internet that connected them. His vision is for a future where AI and robotics, from oceans to space, are interconnected, enabling machines to communicate, collaborate, and learn from each other, leading to a true 'Internet of Robotics'.
The center actively involves students at all levels, from local high schoolers to undergraduates, graduate students, and post-doctoral researchers, many of whom come from various regions. This robust outreach program helps develop a skilled workforce that is often recruited by leading companies in robotics, AI, and networking, with an aim to retain this talent within the local community, including the defense industry.
The $2.2 million grant strengthens FAU's long-standing collaboration with the Department of Defense, particularly the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. The project focuses on distributed inference, which involves connecting multiple sensing platforms, such as drones, over high-speed, low-latency networks. This creates a 'super sensor' concept, enabling perfect synchronization and fostering breakthroughs in detection capabilities that are expected to emerge in the near future.