Message from the Directors
# Our Research Focus
The Machine Perception and Cognitive Robotics Laboratory (MPCR) at Florida Atlantic University has become a nucleus for cutting-edge research in artificial intelligence (AI). Housed within the Center for Complex Systems in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, our breadth of research encompasses a multitude of AI facets, drawing from diverse academic disciplines.
Our current research focuses on three interconnected areas. First, we investigate Large Language Models (LLMs) and Vision-Language-Action (VLA) models, studying how these systems reason, ground language in perception, and translate understanding into action. Second, we pursue foundations of computation, exploring unconventional computing paradigms including hyperdimensional computing, stochastic computing, analog computing, and one-instruction-set architectures. Third, we conduct programming languages (PL) research, examining how the design of languages and formal systems shapes the way we build and verify intelligent systems. Underlying all of our work is a complex systems and natural computing perspective — we study computation wherever it arises, from cellular automata and artificial life to swarm intelligence, quantum computing, and evolutionary dynamics, seeking the common principles that connect living systems to engineered ones.
Our partnership with the Center for Future Mind amplifies our exploration into how AI intersects with cognitive sciences, delving into the evolving landscape of cognition.
Beyond applications, we are laying the groundwork for AI’s core principles. A significant emphasis is on AI alignment and safety, ensuring AI systems are built on a foundation of trust and reliability. This rigorous approach aims to produce AI tools that are not just transformative but also trustworthy.
A testament to our lab’s impact is the success of our members. They have secured placements at prestigious institutions: MIT, Yale, Harvard Law, Stanford, Caltech, Brown Medical, the University of Florida, and Georgia Tech. Additionally, some have moved on to esteemed Federal Research labs, with members joining the Department of Homeland Security and the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Our commitment to AI safety was underscored during our presentation to the Intelligence Community (IC) in Washington DC. This engagement emphasized the global relevance of our research, championing the cause for AI that melds innovation with integrity.
With a trajectory steeped in innovation, MPCR remains poised to spearhead breakthroughs in AI research, merging excellence with ethical responsibility.
Elan Barenholtz, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Associate Director of the Center for the Future Mind
Susan Schneider, Ph.D.
Distinguished Professor
Director of the Center for Future Mind