Bowie State Lab Group Extends Department of Defense Grant

Autonomous Technologies Lab Receives Nearly $800,000 in New Funding

MEDIA CONTACT: Jonathan Saxon, [email protected], 301-860-3607

(BOWIE, Md.) - Bowie State University's Autonomous Technologies Lab received a new round of funding totaling $788,250 through the Department of Defense's (DoD) equipment/instrumentation program to acquire cutting edge robotic systems that will be used to develop software to conduct search and rescue field operations independently in dynamic settings.

The funding is a continuation of Bowie State's involvement in the DoD and U.S. Air Force's $90 million university-affiliated research center (UARC) grant that was awarded to Howard University in January 2023. Bowie State is one of eight HBCU partner institutions that will manage some of the research projects focused on tactical autonomy.

"The addition of new state-of-the-art ground and aerial robots will transform BSU's Autonomous Technologies Lab into a premier space for AI education, training, and research," said Dr. Darsana Josyula, director of the autonomous technologies lab."This investment is poised to yield substantial dividends, particularly in cultivating a more diverse pool of talent trained in AI, by providing hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology and fostering innovative interdisciplinary projects, equipping them with the skills needed to excel in this rapidly evolving field."

The new equipment includes robots with a six-degree-of-freedom arm, twenty smaller robots, and five drones with sensor payloads and supplementary accessories.

Specific equipment includes the Boston Dynamics' legged robot - Spot, Modal AI's VOXL 2 Development drone - Sentinel, and Quanser's educational robots - QCar, QBot, and QArm Mini. The cutting-edge systems are designed to collect multi-modal data, navigate complex terrains, and carry payloads enabling advanced research in machine learning, perception, reasoning, and agent behaviors.

"With the introduction of the new equipment, we plan to transition our ongoing research into real-world applications facilitating real-time data collection across various modalities employing adaptive behavior techniques to address irregularities," said Dr. Josyula. "The robots will also be used for targeted search and surveillance in unfamiliar terrain."

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About Bowie State University

Founded in 1865, Bowie State University is the first Historically Black College/University (HBCU) in Maryland and one of the ten oldest in the country. As a leading institution of higher learning, Bowie State offers more than 65 bachelor's, master's, doctoral and certificate programs across arts and sciences, technology, business, education, healthcare and related disciplines. The university provides high-quality and affordable educational opportunities in a supportive environment that empowers students to think critically, make new discoveries, value differences and emerge as leaders in a highly technical, rapidly changing global society. For more information about Bowie State University, visit BowieState.edu.

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