This　paper　proposes　an　autonomous　operant　conditioning　(AOC)　automaton　that,　designs　a　bionic　autonomous　learning　control　method,　and　constructs　an　operant　conditioning　learning　system.　AOC　provides　a　recursive　operation　programme.　AOC　simulates　biological　operant　conditioning　mechanism,　which　has　a　bionic　self-organising　feature,　including　selflearning　and　adaptive　capabilities,　and　can　be　used　for　description,　simulation,　and　design　of　a　variety　of　self-organising　systems.　The　bionic　autonomous　learning　control　method　can　be　used　to　describe　and　simulate　a　bionic　autonomous　learning　process.　The　learning　system　can　learn　on　line　by　interaction　with　environment,　and　achieve　the　best　consequences.　Based　on　the　above,　we　apply　the　model　to　simulate　Skinner-rat　experiment　to　prove　that　AOC　can　simulate　the　learning　mechanism　of　operant　conditioning,　and　apply　it　to　achieving　the　balancing　control　of　two-wheeled　self-balancing　robots　which　shows　that　AOC　can　be　used　to　design　a　variety　of　intelligent　behaviour　for　robotic　systems.　Copyright　©　2011　Inderscience　Enterprises　Ltd.