Autonomous Embedded Systems

Advisors

Michael Giglia (ME), Stella Banou (EE)

VIP Course Section Number

E

Goals

Students in the Autonomous Embedded Systems VIP design and develop autonomous, battery-powered devices and systems that integrate embedded computing, sensing, and wireless communication. Projects may include Cooper’s autonomous vehicle, wireless sensor networks, smart home and agricultural IoT systems, wearable technologies, robotics, and other creative applications. Students gain hands-on experience with embedded platforms such as Arduino, Teensy, STM32 Nucleo microcontrollers, FPGAs, and related hardware and software tools. Emphasis is placed on end-to-end system design, including sensing, control, power management, wireless networking, and autonomous operation. Through multidisciplinary team projects, students contribute to reusable hardware and software infrastructure while developing practical engineering skills applicable to modern cyber-physical systems.

Issues Involved or Addressed

Autonomous embedded systems are increasingly transforming transportation, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, environmental monitoring, and smart infrastructure. This VIP addresses challenges in designing reliable, low-power, battery-operated systems capable of sensing, communication, decision-making, and autonomous operation in real-world environments. Students will investigate issues related to wireless connectivity, energy efficiency, embedded intelligence, edge computing, system integration, and scalable deployment of cyber-physical systems. Projects may explore applications ranging from autonomous vehicles and robotics to wearable devices, smart homes, and distributed sensor networks.

Subteams

IGVC, Health Technologies, IoT

Majors

Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, Chemical, Computer Science

Preferred Interest

Students who enjoy hands-on design, prototyping, experimentation, and interdisciplinary teamwork are encouraged to participate.

Methods and Technologies

Embedded systems design, microcontrollers, FPGA development, sensor integration, wireless communications, IoT architectures, real-time systems, low-power electronics, battery management, control systems, edge AI, embedded machine learning, robotics, rapid prototyping, PCB design, and systems engineering. Hardware platforms may include Arduino, Teensy, STM32 Nucleo, Raspberry Pi, FPGAs, and custom-designed electronics. Communication technologies may include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LoRa, cellular, CAN bus, MQTT, and other wired or wireless protocols. Students will gain experience with C/C++, Python, Git, hardware debugging, and embedded software development.

Preparation

No prerequisite courses are required. Prior experience with programming, electronics, microcontrollers, robotics, digital design, FPGA development, communications, or control systems is helpful but not necessary. Students should be willing to learn new hardware and software tools and contribute to long-term multidisciplinary projects.

  • Founded by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper in 1859, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers education in art, architecture and engineering, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.

  • “My feelings, my desires, my hopes, embrace humanity throughout the world,” Peter Cooper proclaimed in a speech in 1853. He looked forward to a time when, “knowledge shall cover the earth as waters cover the great deep.”

  • From its beginnings, Cooper Union was a unique institution, dedicated to founder Peter Cooper's proposition that education is the key not only to personal prosperity but to civic virtue and harmony.

  • Peter Cooper wanted his graduates to acquire the technical mastery and entrepreneurial skills, enrich their intellects and spark their creativity, and develop a sense of social justice that would translate into action.