The DARPA Robotics Challenge and Baymax in Disney's Big Hero 6

Please join us for our first meetup, as we have CMU Professor Chris Atkeson talking soft robots, DARPA, and the Big Hero 6 movie.

Agenda:

7:00pm: Refreshments

7:15pm: Announcements

7:25pm - Tech Talk

8:10pm - Q&A

8:25pm - Conversations

8:55pm - Departure

Abstract:
Humanoid robots, and personal health care companions are just around the corner. Dr. Atkeson will describe the state of the art in humanoid robotics, focusing on the DARPA Robotics Challenge (www.theroboticschallenge.org (http://www.theroboticschallenge.org/)). An important application of these robots is helping to take care of older adults and people with disabilities. A goal is to enable people to live independently in their own homes. Disney provided a view of the future in the movie Big Hero 6. Chris will talk about the role of reality in providing that view.

Bio:
Dr. Atkeson's life goal is to fulfill the science fiction vision of machines that achieve human levels of competence in perceiving, thinking, and acting and to make robots more useful. Dr. Atkeson is a Professor in the Robotics Institute and Human-Computer Interaction Institute at CMU. He received the M.S. degree in Applied Mathematics (Computer Science) from Harvard University and his Ph.D. degree in Brain and Cognitive Science from M.I.T. He joined the M.I.T. faculty in 1986, moved to the Georgia Institute of Technology College of Computing in 1994, and moved to CMU in 2000. His work inspired the inflatable personal health care companion robot Baymax in Disney's Big Hero 6 movie.

Food Sponsor:

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Management Science Associates (http://www.msa.com/about-us) is full of curious, analytical, creative people who love putting data to work. MSA serves institutions and companies across a spectrum of industries, from consumer packaged goods, media and IT to medical, life sciences, pharma, and even the arts. We’ve been fortunate to work with some of the largest corporations in the world, including such respected brands as The Hershey Company, United States Steel Corporation, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and Duquesne University, just to name a few.

Getting there:

Directions for driving:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Morewood+Gardens+Parking+Lot,+Pittsburgh,+PA+15213/40.444077,-79.9445817/@40.4439891,-79.9464119,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m8!4m7!1m5!1m1!1s0x8834f223cc46da6d:0x20fe8cbb72b0da5b!2m2!1d-79.944343!2d40.445461!1m0

1. Park at the Morewood Gardens Parking Lot (Barriers are open after 6pm - Free Parking).

2. Cross Forbes Avenue and enter the Gates-Hillman Center Building. It is a building with glass exteriors.

3. Upon entering the building go straight and take a left. You should see an Rashid Auditorium (GHC 4401)

General Directions:

The entrance to the building is located at: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Hilman%20Center%204401%2C%20Pittsburgh%2C%20PA

1. Go along Forbes avenue. If you are coming from Oakland, you will be able to see the building once you go past Heinz College building (on the same side). If you are coming from Squirrel Hill, you will see the walk to the sky (on the CMU side), continue walking along the road, and you will past Cyert Hall, after which you should be able to see the entrance to the building.

2. Upon entering the building go straight and take a left. You should see an Rashid Auditorium (GHC 4401)