Robots: where are we & what's next?

Calling Robonoids,

After an engaging first meetup, we are ready to dive deeper. Robotics is a complex field, and its challenges and success is predicated on a collaboration between a swath of disparate disciplines including engineers, A.I researchers, neuroscientists, artists and DIY hobbyists. We invite all of you to come and join us as we discuss the state-of-the-art in social robotics with Tijn van der Zant and explore a dynamic future with Johan Hoorn and the first steps we are taking towards realizing the dream of a future in which the Robots live and interact with us with Arpad Gerecsey.

1800 - 1900: Walk-in, meet 'n' greet

Please purchase your own drinks at the bar.

1900 - 1905: Welcome

1905 - 1930: Tijn van der Zant

RoboCup@Home

RoboCup@Home is the largest international benchmark in social and domestic service robots. There are more than 100 laboratories world-wide participating every year in regional and international competitions. In this talk some light will be shed on the state of the art in this rapidly growing domain. Video material will be shown to give an impression on what robots can, and still cannot do.

1930 - 1955: Johan Hoorn (VU)

The Ultimate Android and your Personal Avatar for Life (PAL)

Imagine a machine that walks the stairs like Honda’s ASIMO, that has the body work of Kokoro’s Geminoid F, with the facial expressions of Hanson’s Alice R50, and that pulls weight like Boston Dynamics’ Atlas. It knows as much as IBM’s Watson (the full version) and reasons according to MIT’s ConceptNet 5.4, a semantic network of everyday knowledge. Its battery packs are replaced by a small tank with formic acid (HCO2H), splitting the hydrogen from the CO2to use it in a fuel cell that drives the robot’s motors, following TU Eindhoven’s proposal for electric cars. What if we pooled all those resources, teaming up, alone on an island, Makers Island, working in partnership. What if we combined it all…

Johan Hoorn, one of the founders of ROBOpop, will present his vision on an humanoid AI that accompanies you in life and that translates the patterns found in Big Data and the Internet of Things into something humans can relate to. Johan is part of ROBOpop's Special Interest Group (SIG) that develops the Robot's Brain.

1955 - 2010: Árpád Gerecsey (A Lab)

ROBOpop and "Tinker-lab"

ROBOpop Foundation was setup by the VU University, A Lab and KPMG recently as a meeting point, activity hub and knowlegde base for anything robotics. I will share our vision for the foundation, its focus and benefits.

Finally along with Johan and I will talk about the possibility of setting up a tinker-lab here at the A-lab, where enthusiasts could come together to build, program and learn the ways around this complex field.

2010 - 2100: Everyone

Discussion

The program is packed and the excitement is palpable. Let us ride the wave!