Agenda
March 3rd
Welcome and Introduction by Matthew Panzarino (TechCrunch) and Rich Lyons (UC Berkeley)— @zellerbach hall
Saving Humanity from AI — @zellerbach hall
The UC Berkeley professor and AI authority argues in his acclaimed new book, “Human Compatible,” that AI will doom humanity unless technologists fundamentally reform how they build AI algorithms.
Reshaping Customer Experience leveraging AI — @pauley ballroom east, 3rd fl. student union
Customer Experience is the new battleground for most companies. Finding new ways to understand customers and how to develop plans to enhance these experiences, is key for staying competitive and driving growth. In this session we will explore how AI can be used to rethink and enhance current methods of gathering customer feedback to bring advanced insight and focus to how companies can optimize experience and ultimately grow their businesses. Sponsored by Worthix.
Engineering for the Red Planet — @zellerbach hall
Maxar Technologies has been involved with U.S. space efforts for decades, and is about to send its 6th (!) robotic arm to Mars aboard NASA’s Mars 2020 rover. Lucy Condakchian is general manager of robotics at Maxar and will speak to the difficulty and exhilaration of designing robotics for use in the harsh environments of space and other planets.
Live Demo from the Stanford Robotics Club — @zellerbach hall
Innovation Break: Bringing Intelligence to Robots with Shri Sundaram (NVIDIA)
Most robots are automated but not AI autonomous. NVIDIA’s Isaac platform helps roboticists incorporate AI into their robots. By leveraging Isaac, NVIDIA’s Jetson AGX Xavier module, and DGX deep learning workstation, you can create the next generation robotics by accelerating research and design, reducing cost and risk, and improving quality and accuracy. Sponsored by NVIDIA.
Book signing with Stuart Russell — @lower sproul plaza
Join one of the foremost experts in artificial intelligence as he signs copies of his acclaimed new book, Human Compatible. Book signing will be located outside on the Lower Sproul Plaza at the registration area.
Building the Robots that Build — @zellerbach hall
Can robots help us build structures faster, smarter and cheaper? Built Robotics makes a self-driving excavator. Toggle is developing a new fabrication of rebar for reinforced concrete, Dusty builds robot-powered tools and longtime robotics pioneers Boston Dynamics have recently joined the construction space. We’ll talk with the founders and experts from these companies to learn how and when robots will become a part of the construction crew.
Q&A: Corporate VC, Partnering and Acquisitions — @pauley ballroom east, 3rd fl. student union
Join this interactive Q&A session on the breakout stage with three of the top minds in corporate VC
Q&A with Founders — @pauley ballroom east, 3rd fl. student union
Your chance to ask questions of some of the most successful robotics founders on our stage
Investing in Robotics and AI: Lessons from the Industry’s VCs — @zellerbach hall
Leading investors will discuss the rising tide of venture capital funding in robotics and AI. The investors bring a combination of early-stage investing and corporate venture capital expertise, sharing a fondness for the wild world of robotics and AI investing.
Facilitating Human-Robot Interaction — @zellerbach hall
As robots become an ever more meaningful part of our lives, interactions with humans are increasingly inevitable. These experts will discuss the broad implications of HRI in the workplace and home.
Toward a Driverless Future — @zellerbach hall
Autonomous driving is set to be one of the biggest categories for robotics and AI. But there are plenty of roadblocks standing in its way. Experts will discuss how we get there from here.
Q&A: Investing in Robotics Startups — @pauley ballroom east, 3rd fl. student union
Join this interactive Q&A session on the breakout stage with some of the greatest investors in robotics and AI
Disney Robotics — @zellerbach hall
At Walt Disney Imagineering Research and Development, they are obsessive about exploring ways that they can use innovation to make guest experiences exceptional at Disney Parks around the world. One of the most interesting areas of development for the team has been the ongoing development of trackless ride vehicles in testing and pre-visualization right on through to the actual ride experiences. Join three Disney Imagineers for a conversation about the unique ways the research and development teams are thinking about and utilizing trackless ride vehicles to further immerse guests in the stories that the parks are telling.
Bringing Robots to Life — @zellerbach hall
This summer’s Tokyo Olympics will be a huge proving ground for Toyota’s TRI-AD. Executive James Kuffner and TRI’s Max Bajracharya will join us to discuss the department’s plans for assistive robots and self-driving cars.
Q&A: Building Robotics Platforms — @pauley ballroom east, 3rd fl. student union
Join this interactive Q&A session on the breakout stage with some of the greatest engineers in robotics and AI
The Next Century of Robo-Exoticism — @zellerbach hall
In 1920, Karl Capek coined the term “robot” in a play about mechanical workers organizing a rebellion to defeat their human overlords. 100 years later, in the context of increasing inequality and xenophobia, the panelists will discuss cultural views of robots in the context of “Robo-Exoticism” which exaggerates both negative and positive attributes and reinforces old fears, fantasies, and stereotypes.
Opening the Black Box With Explainable A.I — @zellerbach hall
Machine learning and AI models can be found in nearly every aspect of society today, but their inner workings are often as much a mystery to their creators as to those who use them. UC Berkeley’s Trevor Darrell, Krishna Gade of Fiddler Labs, and Karen Myers from SRI International will discuss what we’re doing about it and what still needs to be done.
Cultivating Intelligence in Agricultural Robots — @zellerbach hall
The benefits of robotics in agriculture are undeniable, yet at the same time only getting started. Lewis Anderson (Traptic) and Sebastien Boyer (Farmwise) will compare notes on the rigors of developing industrial-grade robots that both pick crops and weed fields respectively, and Pyka’s Michael Norcia will discuss taking flight over those fields with an autonomous crop-spraying drone.
Fostering the Next Generation of Robotics Startups — @zellerbach hall
Robotics and AI are the future of many or most industries, but the barrier of entry is still difficult to surmount for many startups. Speakers will discuss the challenges of serving robotics startups and companies that require robotics labor, from bootstrapped startups to large scale enterprises.
Closing Remarks — @zellerbach hall
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