Research and Exploratory Development Mission Area

Frontier Intelligent Systems

About Frontier Intelligent Systems

Our team advances high-risk, interdisciplinary research spanning artificial intelligence, neuroscience, robotics, and complex systems – discovering, developing, and evaluating the critical insights and capabilities to accelerate the impact of frontier intelligent systems for APL and the nation.

Program Manager: Michael Wolmetz
Assistant Program Manager: Gautam Vallabha

Focus Areas Research Highlights Intelligent Systems Center Explore RED Facilities

Focus Areas

Enhance Human Capability

Coupling human and artificial intelligence—through neural interfaces, robotics, and AI with adaptive agency and shared control—to augment human perception, cognition, and action

Accelerate Insight and Discovery

Compressing the path from data to insight for intelligence analysts, scientists, and decision-makers

Enable Autonomous Action

Advancing intelligent systems—embodied and virtual—that act on human intent in real-world environments, calibrating autonomy to context and capability

Assess and Secure Intelligent Systems

Developing new methods to understand what emerging intelligent systems can and can’t do, what risks they pose, and how to red-team, exploit, and defend against vulnerabilities

Incubate New Paradigms

Demonstrating the emerging capabilities of frontier intelligent systems, anticipating future demand before it is defined

Johns Hopkins APL Develops In-House, Mission-Relevant LLM Training Capabilities Apr 13, 2026

Learn more about Johns Hopkins APL Develops In-House, Mission-Relevant LLM Training Capabilities

Johns Hopkins APL and Microsoft’s AI Agent Orchestrates Robotic Teams Dec 2, 2025

Learn more about Johns Hopkins APL and Microsoft’s AI Agent Orchestrates Robotic Teams

From left: Chris Korpela, Corban Rivera, Rohita Mocharla and Henry Phalen

Training Robots to Plan and React Like Humans Apr 3, 2025

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APL researchers are using generative AI and scene-mapping technology to elevate robots from simple tools to full teammates capable of aiding in disaster and battlefield scenarios.

Johns Hopkins APL, Microsoft Collaborate to Advance Robotics and Materials Discovery Using AI Apr 2, 2025

Learn more about Johns Hopkins APL, Microsoft Collaborate to Advance Robotics and Materials Discovery Using AI

A global emissions map produced by the Climate TRACE coalition.

Roads to Reservoirs: Expanding the Scope of Global Emissions Tracking Nov 19, 2024

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The APL team developed a digital holographic imaging system to identify and validate the signal as tissue deformation that occurs during neural activity.

Fast Company Honors Johns Hopkins APL Innovation as ‘World Changing Idea’ May 14, 2024

Learn more about Fast Company Honors Johns Hopkins APL Innovation as ‘World Changing Idea’

APL is developing a suite of solutions, including coral engineering, eDNA analysis and climate intelligence, that work together to improve long-term resilience at the coastline.

Johns Hopkins APL Developing a Suite of Solutions to Address Coastal Challenges Apr 25, 2024

Learn more about Johns Hopkins APL Developing a Suite of Solutions to Address Coastal Challenges

Featured Work

This artist rendering depicts APL-developed algorithms enabling multirobot coordination across dynamic terrain. (Credit: Johns Hopkins APL)

Tactical Behaviors for Autonomous Maneuver

Enabling scalable, real-time solutions for autonomous teams

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As part of a demo at APL, a robot locates an "injured" dummy. (Credit: Johns Hopkins APL)

ConceptGraphs

Transforming robots into capable teammates using generative AI and advanced scene mapping

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Full Scene Extraction

Training robots to gather information about their surroundings to create a contextual understanding of their environment

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Robust and Resilient Artificial Intelligence

Developing the next generation of intelligent systems for missions characterized by uncertain, dynamic, and adversarial environments

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ISC researchers Elizabeth Reilly and Jason Lee apply mathematical models to understand how different shocks impact food security.

AI for Complex Systems

Leveraging the power of artificial intelligence and mathematics to spur innovation and novel solutions to challenges at the intersection of Earth systems and national security

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Neural Interfaces

Directly interfacing with the nervous system to restore lost functions and enhance human capability

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Neuroscience-Inspired Artificial Intelligence

Developing next-generation algorithms and computing substrates that leverage neurobiology to revolutionize intelligent systems

Learn more about Neuroscience-Inspired Artificial Intelligence

Let’s Solve the Nation’s Challenges Together

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