Research Laboratories and Facilities

Ackoff Collaboratory for Advancement of Systems Approaches (ACASA) « web site »

The center operates as a think tank in the vanguard of systems approaches, advancing and applying systems sciences and systems thinking and global knowledge and competency resources. One of the principal research thrusts, among others, at ACASA is on how to help distributed human-machine systems (e.g., facilities, organizations, or online communities) to continually adapt and evolve in the presence of complex, emergent environments. To that end we are interested in the interaction of systems at all levels -- particularly, the modeling and simulation of human behavior and social systems. The center houses the Laboratory for Informatics and Intelligent Systems Technology (LIIST).

Laboratory for Informatics and Intelligent Systems (LIIST)

The Laboratory for Informatics and Intelligent Systems Technology (LIIST) is the computing arm of ACASA. LIIST consists of a set of Window NT, XP, and Linux machines on a local area network. LIIST also includes a software library of simulation and videogame engines, intelligent system engine packages, training environment generators; and virtual persona technology for cognitive modeling, interactive drama, and edutainment in simulated microworlds.

Center for Sensor Technologies

The Center for Sensor Technologies serves as the intellectual focal point for faculty and graduate students working on fundamental, applied and engineering aspects of sensor technologies. The goal is to facilitate the generation of new and innovative ways to acquire information on the world around us within the four areas of study: microfabrication, materials, sensor phenomena and structures, and sensory information processing. The center houses the Microfabrication Laboratory.

Computer and Information System Facilities

Information systems include databases, database management, computers, and interconnections. Facilities at Penn include PennNet, a fiber optic/FDDI network that links all parts of the campus (including dormitories) to the Internet. Multiprocessor computers available for academic use include a SPARCserver 1000, a SPARCserver 690, a SPARCserver 10. In addition, there are 50 X workstations, 70 PCs and 20 Macintosh computers. Among the facilities that support experimental computing needs of the signal processing and communications research in SEAS are the Signal Processing Research Laboratory, the Valley Forge Research Center, and the Electro-Optics and Microwave Optics Laboratory.

Distributed Systems Laboratory (DSL)

The Distributed Systems Laboratory (DSL) combines elements from Penn's CIS and EE departments. The DSL is broadly focused on the issues of merging computation and communications. This includes networking, computers, distributed control, distributed systems, computer operating systems, gigabit networks, networked multimedia systems, and user interfaces. The DSL generally investigates issues with exploratory methods, such as experimental prototypes, in order to test and refine analytical results as well as to help direct attention to appropriate areas for theoretical work. One focus over the last several years has been high-speed packet-switched network technologies such as asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) and packet transfer mode (PTM). The technologies are deployed in an NSF/DARPA-funded gigabit-speed network test bed called AURORA, which connects Penn, Bell Communications Research (Bellcore), IBM Research and MIT, and uses facilities provided through collaboration with Bell Atlantic, MCI and NYNEX. Another focus is on multimedia systems. The work at Penn in this area is concentrated mainly on the characterization and generation of encoded video streams for transmission over ATM-based networks.

Electro-Optics/Photonic Neuroengineering Laboratory

This laboratory is equipped to carry out research in optical information processing and photonic neurocomputing and offers means for studying and characterizing photonic implementations of pulsating biology-like model neurons and neural networks that employ innovative enabling technologies like electron trapping materials. The laboratory houses a complete range of optical sources, sensors, and programmable spatial-light modulators, together with sophisticated measurement systems and several stable optical tables.

GRASP Laboratory

An interdisciplinary laboratory dedicated to research and education in robotics and automation. The GRASP Laboratory is housed on a single floor of a newly built building. It is equipped with numerous Sun Sparcstations, one Connection Machine (CM2), TWO puma 560 manipulators, two PUMA 250 manipulators, one PUMA 260 manipulator, one Whole Arm Manipulator (Barrett Technology), one Zebra Zero six degree of freedom manipulator, four TRC Labmate mobile platforms, numerous sensors including force/torque sensors, tactile arrays, cameras, and range imaging systems.

Kodlab (within GRASP) « web site »

Koditschek leads a research group focused on the applications of dynamical systems theory to intelligent machines with emphasis on bioinspired robots such as RHex and RiSE.

Kagan Group Labs « web site »

Our research explores the chemical and physical properties of molecular, supramolecular, and nanostructured materials and assemblies and their potential applications in electronic, optoelectronic, and sensing devices. Molecule-surface and molecule-molecule interactions drive molecular organization. We exploit these chemical interactions to construct functional supramolecular and nanocrystal assemblies. Electrical measurements, optical spectroscopies, electrochemistry, and scanning probe and electron microscopies are used to probe the structure-function relationships of molecular assemblies and their interfaces with zero-, one-, and two-dimensional inorganic surfaces. These experiments provide a basis for understanding intermolecular, intramolecular, and interfacial (organic-inorganic) charge and excitonic transport and interactions. These insights are used to guide the rational design of molecular and nanostructured devices ranging from transistors to solar cells to photonics to chemical and biological sensors.

Laboratory for the Development and Application of Renewable Engineering Materials

The Laboratory for Development and Application of Renewable Engineering Materials (DAREM) is used extensively for research and for teaching. The laboratory consists of a testing room, which houses two large hydraulic testing machines, and several smaller specialty machines. The total space occupied by the laboratory is approximately 4500 square feet, half of which is dedicated to teaching and the remaining is for research, although the two functions overlap with one another quite frequently. This laboratory is the focal point for the physical development and testing of materials constructed of recovered solid waste. In particular, work is being done on the development of a new concrete material made with recycled rubber tires as part of the coarse aggregate, in lieu of the stone and gravel. Additionally, investigations are being made into structural use of combining recycled plastics, glass and wood.

Undergraduate students make particular use of this facility which provides and coordinates the hands-on laboratory experiments supporting several of our classes--two freshman classes, a senior laboratory class, and senior design projects. DAREM also has available to students a number of computer stations used in the performance and reporting of the experiments, as well as a multi-channel data retrieval and processing work station.

Wolf Nanofabrication Facility

The University of Pennsylvania's Wolf Nanofabrication Facility is a multi-user facility serving the nanofabrication needs of the Penn community as well as those of external users. The recently renovated 3,300 sq ft Facility houses a 1,950 sq ft class 10,000 cleanroom equipped with a variety of tools that allow to users to perform a variety of fabrication steps: (1) film coating (vapor primer, spinners, hot plates, ovens, ink-jet printer); (2) lithography (e-beam writer, stepper, mask aligners); (3) vapor deposition (evaporator, sputterer, PECVD, ALD, parylene coater); (4) dry etching (one ICP etcher, two RIE tools, XeF2 tool); (5) thermal processing (tube furnace); (6) thin film measurement (profilometer, ellipsometer, refractometer, stress measurement); (7) device packaging (wafer dicer, wire bonder); (8) electrical test (probe station, four-probe station).

mLAB :: Real-Time Embedded Network Systems Lab

In mLAB we explore real-time architectures and scheduling algorithms for communication and coordination of physical computing systems. These include embedded wireless control of industrial automation networks, medical sensor networks, vehicle-to-vehicle networks and social sensor networks. Our work is at the intersection of real-time scheduling theory and building large-scale embedded networks. mLAB is located in GRW 279. Prof. Rahul Mangharam is the Director of mLAB.

Multimedia and Networking Lab

Multimedia and Networking Lab is a pluri-disciplinary lab that cuts across layers, from the link layer to the application layer, with a focus on investigating problems and technologies associated with modern telecommunications systems. The Lab involves several faculties and collaborators at both Penn and other institutions, including other universities and industrial research labs. Many doctoral students are carrying out their research within the lab, and a number of Masters and undergraduate students also participate in several projects. The Lab's facilities are state-of-the-art and are continuously updated as new projects with new demands are initiated.

Penn Brain Project

379, 363 GRW (Graduate Research Wing) Moore Building
Professor Nabil H. Farhat

The Penn Brain Project residing in the Brain Theory and Cognitive Technology Lab (Room 379 GRW) combines concepts and tools from nonlinear dynamics, chaos, and information theory to model and explain the way the cortex interacts with subcortical structures to produce a host of mechanisms underlying higher-order brain functions. (http://repository.upenn.edu/esepapers/). The work is leading to testable abstract population-based brain theory that is being used to successfully build algorithms and machines with brain like intelligence. Penn Brain, being macroscopic in nature, and therefore computationally efficient, offers a preferred approach to the computationally extensive microscopic approach of the IBM/EPFL Blue Brain Project. Hardware realizations of Penn Brain components are underway (see Figure) and numerous protective patents and disclosures assigned to Penn have and are being obtained.

Penn Micro and Nano Systems (PMaNS) Laboratory « web site »

Under the direction of Prof. Piazza the Penn Micro and Nano Systems (PMaNS) Laboratory is conducting cutting-edge research on micro and nanoelectromechanical (MEMS/NEMS) piezoelectric devices for RF signal processing, chemical/biological detection, acoustic sensing and all mechanical computing.

The research group has expertise in different areas of MEMS/NEMS ranging from electrical, mechanical and material engineering. We have access to state-of-the-art nanofabrication and nanocharacterization facilities for manufacturing and testing of new classes of MEMS/NEMS transducers.

We have fun tackling fundamental science and engineering problems at the micro and nanoscale that can provide orders of magnitude performance improvement over current technologies. For example, we are currently working on the development of switched AlN filter banks for reconfigurable RF front-ends to be employed in future spectrum-aware cognitive radios, nanoresonant sensing systems that can tag individual molecules and cells and nanomechanical transistors for low power mechanical computing in harsh environments.

Signal Processing Research Laboratory

The signal processing research laboratory is well equipped with facilities for high-speed computation, simulation, and hardware development. A conference area is also available. The laboratory supports work in signal and image processing, imaging arrays, and communication systems. High-speed networked workstations are available running a variety of software for algorithm development and simulation. The laboratory supports experimental work in digital signal processing, image processing, and multielement active imaging arrays.

The Engheta Group

www.ee.upenn.edu/~engheta
355, 372, and 379 GRW (Graduate Research Wing) Moore Building

This group, run by Professor Nader Engheta, studies various topics related to Metamaterials, Plasmonics, Nano-optics, Optical Nanocircuits, Physics and Reverse-Engineering of Polarization Vision in Nature, Biologically-Inspired Polarization Imaging and Sensing, Electric tweezers, Miniaturized Antennas and Optical Nanoantennas, Microwave Imaging, RF-Acoustic Hybrid Technique for Behind-Obstacle Imaging.

VLSI Design Faculty

This laboratory provides a network of workstations supporting state-of-the-art CAD tools, including the Cadence VLSI tools. Design, simulation and layout of analog, digital and mixed analog/digital circuits are achieved in a variety of fabrication technologies, including CMOS, bipolar and BiCMOS. Circuits designed in one of these standard fabrication processes can be shipped to MOSIS( or other silicon foundries over the Internet for fabrication.

VLSI and Neural Network Test Laboratory

This laboratory houses electronic measuring equipment required for testing of VLSI chips and neural networks. Most of the instruments are programmable through a PC for automatic measurements. In addition, there is an HP82000 tester available for high-speed digital and analog chip tests. The laboratory has also a custom built neural computer that contains programmable neurons, synapses, time constants and interconnections. The architecture of the network can be configured from a PC that runs under Linux. The machine is optimized for solving spatio-temporal problems, such as feature extraction from speech signals.

Walter & Marlene Korn Laboratory – Implementations of Computation Group

Newly dedicated lab under the guidance of Andre DeHon.

This research group focuses on the computational requirements of tasks (how do we capture the computational resource mix necessary to perform a computation?; what's the minimal computational work which really needs to be done to implement a computation?) and systematizing our understanding of how to most efficiently engineer systems which implement computations (how should resources be organized and allocated? how do restrictions upon or regularities in input or task characteristic facilitate more economical implementation?). In more traditional terms, the group's research addresses computing systems spanning from transistors up through applications including computer architecture, VLSI, parallel computation, compilation and mapping technology, operating and run-time systems, and CAD.