Connectionists: Living Machines 2012: Call for Participation and Exhibits

[Tony Prescott]

___________________________________________________________

Call for Participation and Exhibits

LIVING MACHINES 2012:

The First International Conference on Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems

9th-12th July 2012

La Pedrera, Barcelona, Spain

http://csnetwork.eu/conf2012


**Latest news:

Call for papers now closed.  Programme to be published shortly. Proceedings
to be published by Springer LNCS

Register by MAY 31ST FOR DISCOUNT RATE.

Workshops on biohybrid systems, neuromorphics, and soft robotics

Exhibition. Registered participants may bring a biomimetic or biohybrid
system demo at no additional cost.  Attractive rates and facilities for
full exhibits.  Please see further information at:

http://www.csnetwork.eu/system/files/Exhibitor_sponsor_information_May1st-1.pdf

___________________________________________________________



ABOUT LIVING MACHINES 2012

The development of future real-world technologies will depend strongly on
our understanding and harnessing of the principles underlying living
systems and the flow of communication signals between living and artificial
systems.

Biomimetics is the development of novel technologies through the
distillation of principles from the study of biological systems. The
investigation of biomimetic systems can serve two complementary goals.
First, a suitably designed and configured biomimetic artefact can be used
to test theories about the natural system of interest. Second, biomimetic
technologies can provide useful, elegant and efficient solutions to
unsolved challenges in science and engineering. Biohybrid systems are
formed by combining at least one biological component—an existing living
system—and at least one artificial, newly-engineered component. By passing
information in one or both directions, such a system forms a new hybrid
bio-artificial entity.



The development of either biomimetic or biohybrid systems requires a deep
understanding of the operation of living systems, and the two fields are
united under the theme of “living machines”—the idea that we can construct
artefacts, such as robots, that not only mimic life but share the same
fundamental principles; or build technologies that can be combined with a
living body to restore or extend its functional capabilities.



Biomimetic and biohybrid technologies, from nano- to macro-scale, are
expected to produce major societal and economical impacts in quality of
life and health, information and communication technologies, robotics,
prosthetics, brain-machine interfacing and nanotechnology. Such systems
should also lead to significant advances in the biological and brain
sciences that will help us to better understand ourselves and the natural
world. The following are some examples:

•      Biomimetic robots and their component technologies (sensors,
actuators, processors) that can intelligently interact with their
environments.

•      Active biomimetic materials and structures that self-organize and
self-repair.

•      Biomimetic computers—neuromimetic emulations of the physiological
basis for intelligent behaviour.

•      Biohybrid brain-machine interfaces and neural implants.

•      Artificial organs and body-parts including sensory organ-chip
hybrids and intelligent prostheses.

•     Organism-level biohybrids such as robot-animal or robot-human systems.



ACTIVITIES

The main conference, 10th–12th July, will take the form of a three-day
single-track oral and poster presentation programme that will include six
plenary lectures from leading international researchers in biomimetic and
biohybrid systems.

The proceedings of the conference will be published in the Springer Lecture
Notes in Computer Science (LNCS). Submissions will be in the form of full
papers or extended abstracts.

Submissions are also invited for an exhibition to feature working
biomimetic or biohybrid systems and biomimetic/biohybrid art.

Active researchers in biomimetic and biohybrid systems are also invited to
propose topics for 1-day tutorials or workshops on related themes, to be
held on the 9th July.

Plenary speakers are: Joseph Ayers (Northeastern University) on synthetic
neuroethology; Dieter Braun (Ludwig Maximilians University) on synthetic
life, Peter Fromherz (Max Plank Institute) on neuroelectronic hybrids;
Toshio Fukuda (Nagoya University) on micro-nano biomimetic and biohybrid
devices; David Lentink (Stanford University)  on fluid dynamics of flight;
and Barry Trimmer (Tufts University) on soft, invertebrate-inspired robots.



ABOUT THE VENUE

The organisers are delighted to have secured La Pedrera (
www.lapedreraeducacio.org/) as the venue for our conference.  La Pedrera,
designed by the modernist, nature-inspired Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi,
is a world heritage site, and one of the best known buildings in Barcelona.
The conference will make use of the modern conference facilities provided
by the La Pedrera Auditorium, whilst the exhibition will take place in the
adjacent Gaudi Hall.  La Pedrera is located within the fashionable Eixample
district and within walking distance of Barcelona’s old city, including the
Gotic quarter, the cathedral, and the Playa Catalunya. The
workshops/tutorial day will be hosted at the University Pompeu Fabra,
Campus Poblenou.





DEADLINES

May 31st.  Close of early registration.

July 9-12th 2012. Conference (9th July is workshops/tutorials)



SPONSORSHIP

Living Machines 2012 is sponsored by the Convergent Science Network (CSN)
for Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems which is an EU FP7 Future Emerging
Technologies Co-ordination Activity (FP7-ICT-CSN-248986). CSN currently
organises two highly successful workshop series: the Barcelona Summer
School on Brain, Technology and Cognition (http://bcbt.upf.edu/bcbt11/) and
the Capoccaccia Neuromorphic Cognitive Engineering Workshop (
http://capocaccia.ethz.ch/capo/wiki/2011).  The conference is delighted to
be associated with the Institute of Physics journal Biomimetics &
Bioinspiration who will have a stand at meeting.

Other organisations wishing to sponsor the conference in any way and gain
the corresponding benefits by promoting themselves and their products to
through conference publications, the conference web-site, and conference
publicity are encouraged to contact the conference organisers to discuss
the terms of sponsorship and necessary arrangements.



We are looking forwards to seeing you in Barcelona.



Conference Secretariat:

info.csnetwork at upf.edu

Laboratory Of Synthetic Perceptive, Emotive And Cognitive Systems - SPECS

Institute Of Audio-Visual Studies (IUA)

Universitat Pompeu Fabra

Communication-Poblenou Campus (La Nau Building)

Postal address: Roc Boronat, 138. 08018 Barcelona

Phone: (34) 93 542 22 01

Fax: (34) 93 542 22 02





Organising Committee:

Tony Prescott (co-chair)

Paul Verschure (co-chair)

Giacomo Indiveri

Stefano Vassanelli

Ian Gwilt

Carme Buisan

Nathan Lepora

Anna Mura
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