Connectionists: [meetings] Living Machines V: Second Call for Papers, Satellite Events and Sponsors

[Nathan Lepora]

Second Call for Papers, Satellite Events and Sponsors
Living Machines V: The 5th International Conference on Biomimetic and
Biohybrid Systems
18th to 22nd July 2016
http://csnetwork.eu/livingmachines/conf2016

To be hosted at the
Dynamic Earth
Edinburgh, Scotland
In association with the Heriot Watt University and University of Edinburgh

Accepted papers will be published in
Springer Lecturer Notes in Artificial Intelligence
Submission deadline March 11th, 2016
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ABOUT LIVING MACHINES 2016

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 theme of the conference also encompasses
biomimetic methods for manufacture, repair and recycling inspired by
natural processes such as reproduction, digestion, morphogenesis and
metamorphosis.

The following are some examples of “Living Machines” as featured at past
conferences:

•      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.
•      Nature-inspired designs and manufacturing processes.
•      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 will take the form of a three-day single-track oral and
poster presentation programme, 20th to 22nd July 2016, hosted at Dynamic
Earth, Edinburgh, Scotland.

The conference programme will include five plenary lectures from leading
international researchers in biomimetic and biohybrid systems, and the
demonstrations of state-of-the-art living machine technologies. Agreed
speakers are:

*Antonio Bicchi*, University of Pisa (robotics, haptics and control systems)
*Frank Hirth*, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry (evolutionary
neuroscience)
*Yoshihiko Nakamura*, University of Tokyo (biomimetics in humanoids)
*Thomas Speck*, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg (plants and animals as
concept generators for biomimetic materials and technologies)
*Barbara Webb*, University of Edinburgh (perceptual systems; control of
behaviour in insects and robots)

The full conference will be preceded by up to two days of Satellite Events
hosted by the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh.

SUBMITTING TO LIVING MACHINES 2016

We invite both full papers and extended abstracts in areas related to the
conference themes.  All contributions will be refereed and accepted papers
will appear in the Living Machines 2016 proceedings which we expect to be
published in the Springer-Verlag LNAI Series.

Full papers (minimum 8 pages, up to 12 pages) are invited from researchers
at any stage in their career and should present significant findings and
advances in biomimetic or biohybid research. More preliminary work would be
better suited for short papers submission (minimum 4 pages, with a maximum
of ten references and no more than three self-citations). Full papers will
be accepted for either oral presentation (single track) or poster
presentation. Extended abstracts will be accepted for poster presentation
only.

Authors of the best full papers will be invited to submitted extended
versions of their paper for publication in a special issue of the Taylor &
Francis journal Connection Science.

Satellite events

Active researchers in biomimetic and biohybrid systems are invited to
propose topics for 1-day or 2-day tutorials, symposia or workshops on
related themes to be held 18-19th July at the School of Informatics,
University of Edinburgh. Events can be scheduled on either the 18th or the
19th or across both days. Attendance at satellite events will attract a
small fee intended to cover the costs of the meeting.  There is a lot of
flexibility about the content, organisation, and budgeting for these
events.  Please contact us if you are interested in organising a satellite
event!

EXPECTED DEADLINES

March 11th, 2016 Paper submission deadline
April 29th, 2016 Notification of acceptance
May 16th, 2016 Camera ready copy
July 18-22 2016 Conference

SPONSORSHIP

Living Machines 2016 is part-sponsored by the Convergent Science Network
(CSN) for Biomimetics and Neurotechnology. CSN is an EU FP7 Future Emerging
Technologies Co-ordination Activity that also organises two highly
successful workshop series: the Barcelona Summer School on Brain,
Technology and Cognition (https://bcbt.upf.edu/bcbt15) and the Capocaccia
Neuromorphic Cognitive Engineering Workshop (
https://capocaccia.ethz.ch/capo/wiki/2015).

The 2016 Living Machines conference will also be hosted and co-sponsored by
Heriot Watt University.

Call for Sponsors.  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 offer a number of attractive and good-value packages to potential
sponsors.

ABOUT THE VENUE

Living Machines 2016 will be hosted at Dynamic Earth (
http://www.dynamicearth.co.uk), a 5 star visitor attraction in the heart of
Edinburgh’s historic old town, next door the Scottish Parliament and
Holyrood Palace.  Dynamic Earth is a visitor experience that invites you to
take a journey through time to witness the story of planet Earth. Through a
series of interactive exhibits, state of the art technology and even a 4D
encounter you will feel the heat of a bubbling volcano, face the chill of
polar ice, fly across the globe before crash landing in a tropical
rainforest.  Attendees at the conference will receive a discount voucher to
visit the Dynamic Earth exhibit.  Workshops will be held at the University
of Edinburgh’s School of Informatics in George Square, a short walk from
Edinburgh city centre.

Organising Committee:

Mark Desmulliez, Heriot Watt University (Co-chair)
Tony Prescott, University of Sheffield (Co-chair)
Nathan Lepora, University of Bristol (Programme Chair)
Michael Mangar, University of Edinburgh (Satellite Events Chair)
Anna Mura, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Communications)
Paul Verschure, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (International Steering Committee)
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