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<div style="margin:0;"><font face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font color="#212121" face="Arial,sans-serif">Dear Colleagues,<br>
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Apologies if you receive multiple copies of this CFP.</font></span></font></div>
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<div style="margin:0;"><font face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font color="#212121" face="Arial,sans-serif"><b>Call for papers: Special Session
</b></font><font color="#404040" face="Helvetica,sans-serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><b>IJCNN-24 Neural Techniques for Artificial and Natural Locomotions</b></span></font><font color="#212121" face="Arial,sans-serif"><b> in IJCNN 2018</b></font></span></font></div>
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<div style="margin:0;"><font face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font color="#212121" face="Arial,sans-serif">International Joint Conference on Neural Networks, hosted at IEEE World Congress on Computational Intelligence (IEEE
WCCI 2018)</font></span></font></div>
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<div style="margin:0;"><font face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font color="#212121" face="Arial,sans-serif">8-13 July 2018, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - <font color="black" face="Calibri,Helvetica,sans-serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;" id="divtagdefaultwrapper"><font color="#212121" face="wf_segoe-ui_normal,Segoe UI,Segoe WP,Tahoma,Arial,sans-serif,serif,EmojiFont" size="2"><span style="font-size:15px;"><font color="#212121" face="Arial,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"></span></font><a previewremoved="true" href="http://www.ecomp.poli.br/%7Ewcci2018/ijcnn-sessions/#ijcnn24" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" id="LPlnk727395"><font face="Arial,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;" id="LPlnk727395"><b>http://www.ecomp.poli.br/~wcci2018/ijcnn-sessions/#ijcnn24</b></span></font></a><font color="#212121" face="Arial,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><br>
</span></font></span></font></span></font></font><a href="https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http:%2F%2Fwww.ecomp.poli.br%2F%7Ewcci2018%2F&data=02%7C01%7CZ.Yang%40mdx.ac.uk%7Cfa7978ddf550495d5dc208d53666cd98%7C38e37b88a3a148cf9f056537427fed24%7C0%7C0%7C636474737522240569&sdata=hysAcD1%2BL4B1ym64TggeGEDGUqyz970IYeX7CoZ9OSU%3D&reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><font face="Segoe UI,sans-serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;"><font color="#1155CC" face="Arial,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"></span></font></span></font></a></span></font></div>
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<div style="margin:0;"><font face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font color="#212121" face="Arial,sans-serif"><b>Neural Techniques for Artificial and Natural Locomotions
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<div style="margin-top:14pt;margin-bottom:18pt;" align="justify"><font color="#404040" face="Helvetica,sans-serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><i>Organized by Zhijun Yang (</i></span></font><a href="mailto:Z.Yang@mdx.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><font face="Helvetica,sans-serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><i>Z.Yang@mdx.ac.uk</i></span></font></a><font color="#404040" face="Helvetica,sans-serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><i>),
Vaibhav Gandhi, Mehmet Karamanoglu, and Felipe França</i></span></font></div>
<div style="margin-top:14pt;margin-bottom:18pt;" align="justify"><font color="#404040" face="Helvetica,sans-serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">There are evidences showing that walking with adaptive gait patterns may be an acquired characteristic
possessed by legged animals and humans. A baby animal or infant usually experiences an inept process to learn walking before becoming fully adaptive to a complex terrain. This learning process starts with reflexes reflecting involuntary responses to stimuli.
It may involve a complex sequence of activities for sensorimotor integration, synchronization and coordination of cortical neurons and muscles. After the relevant cortical regions are well acquainted with the external world, the animals are considered as trained
and represent the most capable walking machine in nature.</span></font></div>
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<div style="margin:0;"><font face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font color="#404040" face="Helvetica,sans-serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">Many theoretical and experimental approaches have been proposed intending
to decipher the mechanisms underlying the natural locomotion while presenting its artificial intelligence (AI) counterpart. For instance, the finite state machine (FSM), in both deterministic and probabilistic variants, are traditionally used to model the
gait pattern generation and transition. Recent years have seen the interest in this area of research growing rapidly thanks to the emergence of new computing methodologies using spiking neurons and neuronal populations, with the neuron complexity rangin from
the simplest integrate-and- firing type to the classic Hodgkin-Huxley type. A special</span></font><font color="#404040" face="Helvetica,sans-serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;"> Izhikevich neuron can display an abundant spectrum of real neuron activities.
These methods show great potential in modelling the natural locomotion models in this relatively new research field. On the other hand, the modern technology provides us means of implementing the theoretic models by using high performance computing (HPC) techniques
such as dedicated neuromorphic circuits, GPUs, FPGAs as well as deep learning tools.</span></font></span></font></div>
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<div style="margin:0;"><font face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font color="#404040" face="inherit,serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><b><u>Scope and Topics</u></b></span></font></span></font></div>
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<div style="margin:0;"><font face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font color="#404040" face="inherit,serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><u><br>
</u></span></font><font color="#404040" face="inherit,serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><u><br>
</u></span></font></span></font></div>
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<div style="margin:0;"><font face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font color="#404040" face="Helvetica,sans-serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">This special session brings together the new research works from academics
and industry related researchers in this prevalent area. The workshop aims to promote the applications of multidisciplinary methods in investigating and exploiting the neural mechanisms of natural locomotion. We invite papers on both theory and applications
of the broad area of neural control for natural locomotion. The artificial locomotion systems, built upon the mechanisms underlying the natural locomotion systems, are particularly welcome. The topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following.
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<li style="margin:0;"><font color="#404040" face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font face="inherit,serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">Neuroscience studies of natural locomotion and control</span></font></span></font></li><li style="margin:0;"><font color="#404040" face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font face="inherit,serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">Novel mathematic models for gait pattern generation and transition</span></font></span></font></li><li style="margin:0;"><font color="#404040" face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font face="inherit,serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">Central pattern generation models and applications</span></font></span></font></li><li style="margin:0;"><font color="#404040" face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font face="inherit,serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">Somatosensory system, sensorimotor interaction and impacts on locomotion</span></font></span></font></li><li style="margin:0;"><font color="#404040" face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font face="inherit,serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">Machine learning and deep learning methods applicable for motion control</span></font></span></font></li><li style="margin:0;"><font color="#404040" face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font face="inherit,serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">Neuromorphic hardware implementation, parallel computing platforms using state-of-
the-art</span></font><font face="inherit,serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;"><br>
hardware such as GPU or FPGA for neural control of locomotion</span></font></span></font></li><li style="margin:0;"><font color="#404040" face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font face="inherit,serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">Software frameworks, such as robot operating system (ROS), applicable for robot control</span></font></span></font></li><li style="margin:0;"><font color="#404040" face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font face="inherit,serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">Bayesian inference and hidden Markov models for decision making on robot motion</span></font></span></font></li><li style="margin:0;"><font color="#404040" face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font face="inherit,serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">Novel finite state machine methods, implementation and applications in robotics</span></font></span></font></li><li style="margin:0;"><font color="#404040" face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font face="inherit,serif" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;">State-of- the-art robot projects using leading edge hardware and/or software</span></font></span></font></li></ul>
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<div style="margin:0;" align="justify"><font face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font color="#212121" face="Arial,sans-serif"><b><br>
IMPORTANT DATES:</b></font></span></font><font face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font color="black" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt;"> </span></font></span></font>
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<li style="margin:0;"><font color="#212121" face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font face="Arial,sans-serif">Paper submission: 15th January 2018</font></span></font></li><li style="margin:0;"><font color="#212121" face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font face="Arial,sans-serif">Paper acceptance: 15th March 2018</font></span></font></li><li style="margin:0;"><font color="#212121" face="Calibri,sans-serif" size="2"><span style="font-size:11pt;"><font face="Arial,sans-serif">IEEE WCCI 2018 conference: 8-13 July 2018</font></span></font></li></ul>
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<p>Regards,<br>
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<p>Zhijun</p>
<p>--</p>
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<div class="PlainText">Zhijun Yang, BEng, MSc, PhD, PGCertHE, FHEA<br>
Senior Lecturer in Design Engineering<br>
Department of Design Engineering and Mathematics<br>
Faculty of Science and Technology<br>
Middlesex University, London NW4 4BT, UK<br>
Voice: +44 (0)7882681333</div>
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