Thursday, June 20, 2013

[Comp-neuro] Living Machines: Call for participation in conference, exhibition and workshops

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Call for Participation in Conference, Exhibition and Workshops
Living Machines: The 2nd International Conference on Biomimetic Robotics and Biohybrid Systems.
A Convergent Science Network Event

29th July to 2nd August 2013
Natural History Museum, London
http://csnetwork.eu/livingmachines/conf2013
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News & Highlights

* Extended deadline for early registration, now June 30th, 2013.
* Very last chance to book good value, local conference accommodation at Imperial College, any un-reserved rooms will be released on June 21st.
* Main conference programme now online, 5 plenary talks, 18 single-track oral presentations, 47 posters.
* 25 exhibits for the exhibition from biomimetic robots to biohybrid clothing to computer art, including live robot performance.  The evening reception for the exhibition can now be booked as a separate event.
* 5 satellite workshops also available for registration as separate events, topics include the self, emergence, plant-like robots, neuromorphic engineering, societal impacts.

* LM2012 proceedings in the top 25% of Springer LNAI volumes for downloads in the last 12 months.
* Significant media interest in our events, press passes available.
* New journal "Soft Robotics" to be launched at LM2013

Contact living-machines@sheffield.ac.uk for all enquiries.

ABOUT LIVING MACHINES 2013

The 2nd International Conference on Biomimetic and Biohybrid systems comprises a week of events including 2.5 days of single-track oral presentations with five plenary speakers; a 1-day exhibition that will include a range of novel biomimetic and biohybrid technologies many of which have not been exhibited in public before; and five satellite workshops on themes ranging from artificial "selves" to the societal impacts of living machines.

We wish to draw particular attention to the exhibition, which can be registered for independently of the main conference. Current highlights of the exhibition include:

• A live musical performance featuring a humanoid robot
• Mammal-like robots with whiskered touch systems
• A Robot swarm whose behaviour is more than the sum of its parts
• A robot model of 'trace' fossils from the dawn of life
• Music composed by a bio-inspired computer programme that mimics natural selection
• Plant-like robots that grow and change shape
• Biomimetic medical devices
• A robot that powers itself by digesting insects
• Micro-flying robots
• Robothespian—an interactive multi-lingual humanoid
• Wearable computing for finding your way in darkness 
• Biohybrid clothing made with amoebas

In addition to the active, and interactive, exhibits there will be a buffet dinner and complementary wine and drinks.  We hope you will join us for the exciting and futuristic science & technology event!

The conference registration site is open.  Please register soon to take advantage of early registration, which has been extended due to delays with finalising the conference program—deadline June 30th 

Conference accommodation is also available through the conference registration site, at Imperial College London from 70 GBP per night. If attendees wish to take advantage of these favourable rates they should book by Friday 21st June, after which the rooms held back in reserve will be released.

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
**Program now available online**

The main conference will take the form of a single-track oral presentation programme, 30th July to midday 1st August 2013 that will include five plenary lectures from leading international researchers in biomimetic and biohybrid systems.  Agreed speakers are:

Mark Cutkosky, Stanford University (Biomimetics and Dextrous Manipulation);
Terrence Deacon, University of California, Berkeley (Natural and Artificial Selves);
Ferdinando Rodriguez y Baena, Imperial College London (Biomimetics for medical devices);
Robert Full, University of California, Berkeley (Locomotion);
Andrew Pickering, University of Exeter (History of living machines).

There will also be 18 regular talks, and a 3 hour poster session (afternoon of August 1st) featuring 47 posters. Particular themes include:

Biomimetic robotics
Biohybrid systems including biological-machine interfaces
Neuromimetic systems
Active sensing in vision and touch
Social robotics
Embodied robotics
Biomimetics of plants

WORKSHOPS
**Programs now available online**

In addition to the main conference there are two further days of workshops, each with their own full program that can be found on the Living Machines website.

Monday 29th July
Self and cognitive systems (organizers Peter Ford Dominey and Paul Verschure)
Learning from the Plant Kingdom to Invent Smart Artificial Solutions (organizers Barbara Mazzolai and Lucia Beccai)

Friday 2nd August

Neuromorphic models, circuits, and emerging nano-technologies for real-time neural processing systems (organizers Giacomo Indiveri and Themistoklis Prodromakis)
Emergent social behaviours in bio-hybrid systems (organizers Jose Halloy, Thomas Schmickl and Stuart Wilson)
Societal impacts of Living Machines (organizers Tony Prescott and Michael Szollosy)

Attendance at satellite events will attract a small fee intended to cover the costs of the meeting.  We have reserved meeting rooms at Imperial College London to host the satellites each with capacity for up to 40 people.  Please book early.  Separation registration for satellite events is possible.

ABOUT THE VENUE

The organisers are delighted to have secured the Flett Theatre at the Natural History Museum in London as the main venue for our conference.  The NHM is an international centre for the study of the natural world featuring many important biological collections. The exhibition and poster session on Thursday 1st will be hosted at the nearby Science Museum, and the satellite events at Imperial College London.  All three venues are conveniently located within a short walking distance of each other in South Kensington, the Museum district of the UK capital, and close to many of London's tourist sights. 

KEY DATES

June 21, 2013 Un-reserved accommodation released.
June 30, 2013 Extended deadline for early registration.
July 29-August 2nd 2013 Conference

We are looking forwards to seeing you in London.

Organising Committee:

Tony Prescott (co-chair)
Paul Verschure (co-chair)
Nathan Lepora (programme chair)
Holger Krapp (workshops & symposia)
Anna Mura (web-site)

Conference Secretariat:

living-machines@sheffield.ac.uk
c/o Gill Ryder,

Sheffield Centre for Robotics

Department of Psychology
University of Sheffield
Western Bank
Sheffield, S10 2TN
United Kingdom


 

 

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