Physics-Informed Control
Model-based and learning-augmented control for physical systems, with emphasis on dynamics, robustness, and real-time performance.
MPCLQRDynamicsRobust Control
Engineering Physics → Robotics
Luca Byrnes
Feedback control, machine perception, and embedded systems for robust robotic autonomy.
Current Focus
Developing reliable autonomy for vehicles operating in dynamic, uncertain, and harsh environments.
I'm an MSE Robotics student at UPenn, concentrating in physics-informed machine learning and control. I'm interested in autonomy for aerospace and marine systems that operate reliably in harsh conditions and expand what's possible.
I previously studied Engineering Physics at Tufts and have worked with complex sensing systems in the defense space. From submarine-sonar systems integration to embedded development for remote sensors, that experience sharpened how I think about constraints, latency, power budgets, and safety.
Machine PerceptionFeedback ControlEmbedded SystemsPCB DesignCADPythonC++MATLABROS 2
Selected Project
Satellite Star Surveyor
An autonomous space telescope simulation that combines star target planning, attitude guidance, nonlinear state estimation, MPC control, closed-loop dynamics, and 3D mission visualization.
Portfolio
Featured Work
Featured Project
Satellite Star Surveyor
An autonomous space telescope simulation that combines star target planning, attitude guidance, nonlinear state estimation, MPC control, closed-loop dynamics, and 3D mission visualization.Modeling & SimulationNonlinear ControlKalman FilterPython
Featured Project
Learning-Augmented MPC for Spacecraft Attitude Control
A controller comparison study for nonlinear spacecraft attitude regulation under model uncertainty, actuator limits, and persistent disturbances.Modeling & SimulationNonlinear ControlML Augmented ControlPythonPyTorch
Featured Project
Self-Balancing Robot
I designed and created a self-balancing robot that not only stabilizes itself but also holds position using a cascaded PID architecture on an ESP32, real-time sensing (IMU + encoders), and Wi-Fi/MQTT for live tuning.ControlHardwareEmbedded Software (C++)
Technical Focus
Core areas of my robotics work
Modeling & Simulation
Simulation-driven development for autonomous systems, from rigid-body dynamics and sensor models to validation under uncertainty.
SimulationModelingState Estimation
Sensing & Embedded Autonomy
Hardware-aware autonomy for systems with real-world constraints: latency, power, noisy sensors, and deployment reliability.
SensorsEmbeddedReal-Time
Next Step
Explore the systems behind the summary.
My project pages go deeper into control theory, modeling, software architecture, and results.