Symposium on Humanoid Robotics on 8 March
26 Jan 2010
... and evening lecture by Professor Darwin Caldwell
A one-day Symposium on Humanoid Robotics and an evening lecture by Professor Darwin Caldwell (Director, Italian Institute of Techology - IIT, Genoa and Honorary Visiting Professor at The University of Manchester) are being organised by the IET in London on 8 March 2010.
The University of Manchester will be strongly represented at this one-day Symposium. Honorary Visiting Professor, John Gray, is one of the main organisers of the event and Professor Steve Furber, Dr Martin Brown, Mr Houman Dallali and Professor Darwin Caldwell will all give talks. There will also be speakers from other UK universities: Aberystwyth, Bristol, Edinburgh, Hertfordshire, Imperial, Plymouth and Sheffield as well as four talks from leading researchers at IIT.
Topics covered will include mechatronic design, sensors, control and cognitive reasoning. It is also planned to include an exhibition focussing on the iCub humaniod robot which made its UK debut last year in Manchester at an event hosted by the Centre for Interdisciplinary Computational and Dynamical Analysis (CICADA).
Dr Brown and Mr Dallali from CICADA are currently working on learning and control approaches to making the iCub walk and eventually run. The Symposium will cover all these latest developments from both the IIT and UK Universities.
The free Evening Lecture will be given by Professor Darwin Caldwell who will explore the history of humanoid development from the early 1970s to the most advanced current systems and future possibilities. This will focus on the mechatronic development of the iCub (a child sized (4 years old) humanoid) before considering the design of a (as yet unnamed) humanoid that introduces a number of new technical innovations. The lecture will outline future advances in the mechatronics (and cognitive aspects of the humanoids) that yet need to be achieved. There will be a brief consideration of the social, ethical and economic viability of humanoids.
To register for the one day Symposium on Humanoid Robotics (£60), or find out more details see:
To register for the Evening Lecture by Professor Darwin Caldwell (free), or find out more details see: