Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) Research
Research with Real-World Impact
The Link Lab was founded on the belief that today's most complex challenges cannot be solved within a single engineering discipline. Our unique community of internationally recognized researchers collaborates across traditional disciplines to advance CPS research and develop technologies that improve the way we live, work, and connect.
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Robotics & Autonomous Systems
Link Lab researchers are developing intelligent robots and autonomous systems that can safely perceive, learn, adapt, and collaborate with humans in complex real-world environments.
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Smart and Connected Health
Link Lab researchers are advancing technologies that improve health, well-being, and quality of life through personalized, data-driven, and human-centered solutions.
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Smart Cities
Link Lab researchers are developing technology and solutions to make urban and rural areas safer, more resilient, and more efficient.
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Hardware for IoT
Link Lab researchers are creating foundational hardware, sensing, and communication technologies that make IoT applications possible.
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Explore Our Faculty Directory
Explore profiles of Link Lab faculty who are shaping the future of cyber-physical systems, physical AI, and more.
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Explore Research Publications
Search publications by keyword, author, year, or journal to learn more about the research emerging from the Link Lab.
What is Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS)?
Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) is the engineering discipline that interfaces the cyber and physical to address today's most pressing societal challenges.
The key technical principles that underlie CPS span both the physical side (physics, digital signal processing, embedded hardware such as sensors and actuators, control and hybrid systems, wireless communication and dynamic systems modeling) and the cyber side (networking, embedded systems programming, machine learning, model-based design and formal methods, privacy and security, real-time systems and software engineering).
CPS has the potential to transform our world and is at the core of many emerging areas, including the Link Lab's foci of smart health, smart cities, hardware for the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics and autonomous systems.
Physical AI
AI has long been a foundational component of our research. Rather than existing as a standalone research area, AI serves as a cross-cutting capability across all of the Link Lab's research areas. "Physical AI" moves AI beyond the digital world, allowing it to interact directly with the physical world. By integrating computational models with physical actuation, this gives continuous loop of sensing, reasoning, and acting to autonomous systems (such as self-driving cars, drones, domestic robots, and etc.) and enable them to intelligently navigate, adapt to, manipulate, and interact with the physical environments.
Interested in Collaborating with the Link Lab?
Interested in exploring a research partnership, seeking faculty expertise, partnering on a grant proposal, connecting with students for jobs or internships, attending an event, serving as a guest speaker, becoming an advisory board member, or other interests?
Link Lab Distinguished Student Research Award
- Spring 2026 Awardee: Kamiar Khayambashi presented his research "Uncertainty-Aware Learning-Driven Methods for Cyber-Physical Energy Systems: Planning, Control, and Resilience". Kamiar is joined by Jon Goodall, Link Lab Director and Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Tim Brooks, Leidos Program Manager and Solutions Architect. The Link Lab Distinguished Research Award is sponsored by Leidos.