Uploaded April 2020 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
The Intelligent Control Systems (ICS) group focuses on fundamental questions of future intelligent systems, which are able to autonomously interact with their environment – by perceiving the world, acting according to a goal, and by learning from both. For instance, they investigate how a machine can independently learn new tasks from data – and be reliable, safe and efficient all at the same time. Or they look at how collectives of several intelligent systems can carry out a task together – such as several robots coordinating their motion or autonomous vehicles driving in a convoy. It all comes down to sophisticated decision and learning algorithms, essentially the brain of the intelligent system.
Starting with mathematical problem descriptions and analysis, the team develops new algorithms and methods that can be applied in many different future systems. Going beyond models and simulations, the team validates their research in laboratory experiments, for instance, on a humanoid robot learning to balance a stick in its hand, or multiple dynamical systems coordinating their motion over large-scale wireless networks. They also go out of the lab and implement their algorithms with Cyber Valley industry partners.
Research at ICS is interdisciplinary and spans engineering, computer science, mathematics and machine learning. The main research directions are currently learning-based control, distributed and networked systems, and resource-efficient algorithms.
The Intelligent Control Systems group is an independent Max Planck and Cyber Valley Research Group at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart.
The Intelligent Control Systems (ICS) group focuses on fundamental questions of future intelligent systems, which are able to autonomously interact with their environment – by perceiving the world, acting according to a goal, and by learning from both. For instance, they investigate how a machine can independently learn new tasks from data – and be reliable, safe and efficient all at the same time. Or they look at how collectives of several intelligent systems can carry out a task together – such as several robots coordinating their motion or autonomous vehicles driving in a convoy. It all comes down to sophisticated decision and learning algorithms, essentially the brain of the intelligent system.
Starting with mathematical problem descriptions and analysis, the team develops new algorithms and methods that can be applied in many different future systems. Going beyond models and simulations, the team validates their research in laboratory experiments, for instance, on a humanoid robot learning to balance a stick in its hand, or multiple dynamical systems coordinating their motion over large-scale wireless networks. They also go out of the lab and implement their algorithms with Cyber Valley industry partners.
Research at ICS is interdisciplinary and spans engineering, computer science, mathematics and machine learning. The main research directions are currently learning-based control, distributed and networked systems, and resource-efficient algorithms.
The Intelligent Control Systems group is an independent Max Planck and Cyber Valley Research Group at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart.
