WORKSHOPS AND TUTORIALS

Organizers
Lorenzo Vannozzi and Leonardo Ricotti – Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Italy

Location, Date and Time
Aquarium of Genoa – Auditorium – July 10, 2023, 13:00 – 17:30

Abstract
Biohybrid actuators combine biological components, such as muscle cells, with artificially engineered materials to create functional systems capable of moving or generating forces. These devices hold great promise for a broad range of biomedical applications, allowing tasks that are difficult or impossible for conventional technologies. This represents an exciting area of research at the intersection of biology and engineering, with the potential to create new types of machines and devices that can improve people’s health and quality of life
Advanced biohybrid actuators still require the development of some enabling technologies. Advancements in synthetic biology, tissue engineering, and microfabrication technologies are enabling researchers to more efficiently integrating biological and synthetic components within biohybrid systems, responsive to different types of stimuli. In parallel, the continuous rise of artificial intelligence algorithms and simulative environments is unraveling novel scenarios for the optimization of biohybrid actuator designs and performances.
This Workshop provides an overview of the latest developments in biohybrid actuator technology and the corresponding enabling technologies. Potential applications and the key challenges that must be addressed to concretize their potential entirely are also analyzed.

Website
https://www.santannapisa.it/it/living-machine-2023/biohybrid-actuators-and-enabling-technologies

Organizers
Giacinto Barresi and Agnieszka Wykowska – Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Italy

Location, Date and Time
Aquarium of Genoa – Room Nautilus – July 10, 2023, 9:00 – 12:30

Abstract
Robotic embodiment constitutes a complex issue of inquiry. It can refer to the process of defining a robotic morphology, such as a humanoid one, or to the experience of perceiving a mechatronic device as part of our body. In the case of the former, the choice of robot design to be human-like is motivated by various aspects: (i) optimal functionality in human-centered environments, (ii) the likelihood of being received as a social companion; (iii) serving as an embodied computational model of human cognitive mechanisms to study the human cognition. In the latter case, human-like morphology for robotic prostheses is quite obvious yet challenging in its implementation for providing an optimal user experience and system control. Give the broad scope of application for human-like morphologies, it is important to consider what such morphology entails in terms of motor repertoire, attunement with the user and neurocognitive reactions of users faced with human-like shape of robotic artefacts. Accordingly, this workshop will discuss these questions thanks to contributions of experts in robotics, cognitive psychology, neuroscience, ergonomics, artificial intelligence, philosophy, interaction technology, and human-centered design. Their talks and their participation, with the audience, resulting in a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) Analysis of anthropomorphic robotic systems will offer the community of LM2023 an opportunity for understanding why the inspiration for the design of certain machines should come from our own body.

Website
https://sites.google.com/view/lm2023embodiment

Organizers
Arianna Menciassi, Linda Paternò, and Veronica Iacovacci – Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Italy

Location, Date and Time
Aquarium of Genoa – Salone Blu – July 10, 2023, 9:00 – 13:00

Abstract
The quest for soft compliant machines able to safely operate in unstructured environments and to perform tasks in response to stimuli is increasingly demanded, in many applications and across different scales. To achieve this goal, significant research efforts in soft robotics and material science have been directed at the development of novel synthetic machines inspired by living beings. In this context, understanding how worms can burrow into sediments, anchor to holes, and explore the surrounding by protruding and elongating body parts appears a really intriguing source of biological inspiration to design new soft robots.
This workshop aims at exploring scientific advances and translation challenges in worm-inspired robotics. An open discussion addressing a broad spectrum of aspects will be provided by bringing together internationally renowned experts coming from different fields. Indeed, interdisciplinarity will be a core feature of the workshop, where scientists and researchers in biology, biomedicine, materials science, math, informatics and robotics will have the possibility to share ideas and advances in worm-inspired technological solutions. The attendees of this workshop will take home a future-oriented perspective on research and applications in this field.

Website
https://www.santannapisa.it/it/living-machine-2023/worm-inspired-machines

Organizers
Saravana Prashanth Murali Babu – University of Southern Denmark, Denmark
Rob Scharff – Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
Yasmin Ansari – Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Italy
Sai-Kit Yeung – Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hing Kong

Location, Date and Time
Aquarium of Genoa – Room Nautilus – July 10, 2023, 13:00 – 17:30

Abstract
The rapid decline in marine biodiversity has prompted a global demand for innovative, eco friendly solutions to address the pressing need for marine conservation. This workshop aims to explore the exciting frontier of sustainable bioinspired robotics as a transformative approach to preserving and restoring marine ecosystems. Bringing together experts and enthusiasts from the fields of robotics, computer science, biology, and marine conservation, this interactive event will delve into the latest research, breakthroughs, and real-world applications of bioinspired robotic systems for marine conservation. The workshop will encompass four main thematic areas: 1) fundamental principles of bioinspiration and biomimetics in robotics, 2) cutting-edge bioinspired robotic designs and materials, 3) ecological impacts and ethical considerations, and 4) case studies and success stories in marine conservation. Attendees can expect a dynamic blend of keynote presentations, panel discussions, and networking opportunities to foster cross-disciplinary collaboration and inspire new avenues for research and development. By bridging the gap between technology and nature, this workshop aims to generate tangible outcomes for the preservation of our oceans, empowering participants with the knowledge and tools to create a more sustainable future for marine ecosystems worldwide.Join us in our mission to harness the power of bioinspired robotics for the greater good of our blue planet.

Website
https://brmc.hkustvgd.com/LM2023.html

Organizers
Giulia D’Angelo and Ella Janotte – Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia

Location, Date and Time
NH Collection Genova Marina Hotel – Room Jonio – July 10, 2023, 9:00 – 13:00

Abstract
Fast and efficient detection of motion in the visual field or the localisation of sound sources are crucial for the survival reaction of autonomous agents acting in unconstrained scenarios. Both processes rely on the timing and the spatial information of sensory stimuli. Biology shows countless examples of neural structures exploiting temporal and spatial correlations of sensory stimuli to detect and estimate visual motion, or sound sources (as in the barn owl). These mechanisms inspired the design and implementation of the Time-Difference-Encoder (TDE). The TDE has been previously demonstrated in robotic applications for touch and auditory stimuli and visual motion detection. The tutorial aims to introduce the TDE model in a simulated and controlled environment towards implementing a system working in a real-world scenario. The tutorial starts with talks introducing correlation detector models conceived from biology and abstracting such models with a neuromorphic approach, describing the TDE model and showing its applicability in various use cases. We will finally dive into a hands-on session to simulate the model with a shared Jupiter notebook and provided data from an event-driven vision sensor.

Website
https://edpr.iit.it/lm2023

Organizers
Emanuela Del Dottore – Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia
Ali Sadeghi – University of Twente
Virgilio Mattoli – Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia

Location, Date and Time
NH Collection Genova Marina Hotel – Room Tirreno – July 10, 2023, 9:00 – 17:30

Abstract
Bioinspiration is a long-lasting approach adopted to develop novel, emerging technologies that interact more safely with natural unstructured, dynamic environments and living beings. Biological systems are taken as models to suggest strategies for new robot capabilities of online adaptation, such as morphing, elongating, growing, distributed and collective intelligence, physical intelligence, sensing, learning, and computation. However, methodologies for extracting working principles from living beings are challenging to be standardized, and the artificial translation of a natural mechanism remains a highly hand-made operation. Several questions must be addressed during nature-to-artificial translation. Which is the level we intend to observe the natural system? Which is the level of abstraction to reach? Is the artificial model sufficiently representative of the biological one? To what extent does the artificial representation behave like the natural model? A joint effort among multiple disciplines is the premise for a successful translation from nature to robotics. This tutorial intends to pose fundamental questions to the audience and stimulate discussions by challenging participants through hands-on experience. Attendees from different backgrounds are encouraged to participate. Participants will be challenged in bioinspired design, creative thinking, and robot implementation. Techniques of fast prototyping, manufacturing, embedded systems, and control will be introduced and experimented with. This experience aims to feed a curiosity-driven approach to research, stimulate critical thinking, and improve awareness about the need to integrate multiple competencies to successfully realize a bioinspired/biomimetic robotic system to have relevance for both engineering and biology.

Website
https://bsr.iit.it/lm2023-tutorial

Organizers
Oscar Guerrero Rosado, Ismael T. Freire, Adrian F. Amil, Tue Ngo, Sajad Kahali, Tarandeep Mandahar – Radboud University

Location, Date and Time
NH Collection Genova Marina Hotel – Room Jonio – July 10, 2023, 13:30 – 17:30

Abstract
The brain is a multi-layered control architecture spanning immediate reactive to deliberative contextual forms of control and planning. This perspective has been advanced in the Distributed Adaptive Control theory of mind and brain. One central feature of multi-layered control is how deliberate behavioral policies can be extracted from the continuous interaction with the environment. Recently, deep reinforcement learning algorithms have shown remarkable success in solving complex tasks. Episodic Reinforcement Learning (ERL) algorithms using hippocampal-like memory systems are a promising solution.
This tutorial presents the DAC architecture and modelling framework with an emphasis on the Sequential Episodic Control (SEC) model of the contextual layer. The tutorial will highlight the SEC algorithm and its implementation in a classical Reinforcement Learning challenge: the Cliff Walking problem. Participants will learn how to apply DAC to build an adaptive agent and explore the roles of memory and reward functions in an agent’s behavior and performance. By the end of the tutorial, attendees will understand the main components of DAC and its computational implementation, and gain insights into how to accelerate episodic reinforcement learning with fewer memories.

Website
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Organizers
Vivek Sharma, Raimon Bullich Vilarrubias, P.F.M.J. Verschure (Paul) – Radboud University, Netherlands

Location, Date and Time
Aquarium of Genoa – Auditorium – July 10, 2023, 9:00 – 12:30

Abstract
BrainX3 is an interactive neuroinformatics platform designed to help neuroscientists and clinicians visualize, analyze, and simulate human neuroimaging, electrophysiological data, and brain models. The platform aims to facilitate research and clinical use cases for personalized medicine diagnostics, prognostics, and intervention decisions. BrainX3 offers an intuitive user experience, supporting different data types and 3D visualizations, and interaction techniques that are more effective than other desktop tools. The platform is designed with several principles in mind, including a human-in-the-loop approach that emphasizes exploration and interaction with heterogeneous and complex data, an immersive environment to work on desktops, large screens, immersive rooms and virtual reality headsets, and cognitive interfaces that use wearables and sensors to interact.
BrainX3 is developed using a layered architecture with four different levels, including the Graphical User Interface (GUI), Application Core, Native Plugins, and Specific Plugins. The platform offers a multimodal exploration framework, where the user can access a logical organization of the dataset, a semantic corpora query, statistical analysis, and the possibility of using artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to support the exploration of the data.
Overall, BrainX3 is a powerful tool for exploring and analyzing complex brain datasets, providing neuroscientists and clinicians with the means to advance research and clinical applications in personalized medicine.

Website
https://www.learngala.com/cases/specs-brainx3/