Skolkovo Robotics International Conference will be held May 20, 2016

The fourth international conference Skolkovo Robotics will be held in Skolkovo on May 20, 2016. More than 3000 participants are expected. Outstanding international experts in the field of robotics, representatives of venture funds, research and research teams, start-ups and other participants are planned to gather at one site.
Under the report of a report from the last conference, a short interview with speakers, stands, master classes. Link to the registration form.

Robots are increasingly becoming a reality. These developments, which only recently seemed to be just a flight of fantasy by filmmakers, are gradually entering our life, making it even more amazing.

The first conference took place one day and attracted about 700 participants . The second conference lasted two days, and she managed to gather at least 900 people . The third conference gathered more than 1,000 participants in 2015.
An even larger event is expected this year: plenary sessions, an exhibition of robotic projects, investment and mentoring sessions, finals of competitive selections of robotic projects and a show program. More than 3000 visitors, 80 + speakers, 40 + projects at the exhibition, 72 hours of talking about robotics. Now about everything in order.

Photo report Skolkovo Robotics 2015. Caution: a lot of photos. Traffic!

Do you have a robot at home? I take this for myself!

If you wish, you can try everything for yourself!

Lovely girls will tell you what to do with limbs!

Friendship robot and man. Derevyaka is friends with children.

Ashmanov on stage without partners

Robotics all ages

Lectures and master classes

Did someone say a promobot?

And the truth is, why is it so important ...

Fire at a construction site? ... squad rushes to the rescue

Nonholonomic system. No, I do not know...

Lot...

Many lectures and workshops

Many stands

And cute girls

But, they are very strictly guarded by robots ...

Ominous valley?

Have passed Sailed ... ROV, which could ...

The long-lived gladiator glider ...

And we are happy!!!!

What to expect in 2016?

The conference should be of interest to a wide range of specialists and enthusiasts of robotics. I want to look at the color of domestic and foreign robotics, listen to speeches and attend special sessions.
This year, the geography of speakers has been significantly expanded - 3 parts of the world (Europe, Asia and America) and 8 countries (USA, France, Germany, Singapore, Denmark, India, Israel, Australia) will present their scientists, investors and entrepreneurs in the field of robotics names (Nathan Harding, Ekso Bionics, Andra Kay, Sillicon Valley Robotics, Ivan Laptev, INRIA Paris, Paluri Balmanohar, Facebook), who will perform in 8 thematic sessions.

Plenary session

Speakers

Some of the speakers of the plenary part are already known, but the organizers have not yet revealed all the cards - the names of several world-class guests are kept secret.

I am very glad that I managed to ask the speakers a few questions. I suggest that you familiarize yourself with a brief interview and ask your questions in the comments, which I will be able to address to the conference organizers or speakers.

Nathan Harding
Co-founder & CEO, Ekso Bionics USA
Caution: author's translation

What is the topic of your speech?
Exoskeletons as a means of enhancing human activity.
Industrial robots work very well with tasks that do not require solving complex logical problems, although modern tasks require the interaction of complex robotized systems with the environment. We see certain variants of events, where wearable robotic devices can solve problems to enhance the natural capabilities of a person. These events will include the solution of complex problems of interaction between man and the environment.
What do you expect from Skolkovo Robotics 2016?
At the Skolkovo Robotics 2016 conference, I hope to meet with specialists in robotics with whom I am not yet familiar.
I hope to see how they approach the solution of problems in the field of robotics in other ways that may be useful for us working in the USA.

When will the robots be near us? Will they be anthropomorphic, i.e. like a man?
I think robots are already around us. Many of the machines we use have gradually advanced technologically to the extent that they are robots. I think that people will deny this process, but this is our inalienable future. A great example is the Tesla car. This car, of course, has reached a technological level, which forces one to recognize it as a robot, but the general public did not recognize it as such, and prefers to consider it a car. I believe that this trend will continue with many robots.

Are you familiar with the ExoAtlet project? How do you rate this project?
I saw some ExoAtlet videos, and I am pleased to note that I like it. Each exoskeleton maker helps develop this industry, so I hope that ExoAtlet can fulfill the promise shown in the video.

Justus Nijkhov
Business Developer, Odense Robotics Denmark
Caution: author's translation
What is the topic of your speech?
I want to talk about how the closure of the shipyard can create even more high-tech jobs, about how a Danish provincial city with a population of 200,000 people can become the epicenter for future robotic production?
Odense is a technology center with a unique cluster of companies and research institutes specializing in the field of robotics and automation: 83 private companies, 2,200 robots.
What do you expect from Skolkovo Robotics 2016?
Russia's response to Silicon Valley. I want to meet some of the brightest minds in the field of robotics and find exciting new ideas.

When will the robots be near us? Will they be anthropomorphic, i.e. like a man?
Robots around us! Denmark has the 5th place in the use of robots in the world. And these are just industrial robots. Any computer that interacts with the real world is a robot, i.e. robots are everywhere, they are around us all the time.

What are the main trends in the field of robotics for 2016?
I see new business opportunities for mobile robots. Small and medium-sized companies around the world are implementing a collaboration strategy, changing traditional production. I see new business models based on robots. Robots are used both for entertainment and for solving social problems.

If you ran Google Robotics or BOSTON DYNAMICS, which robot would you do? What project would you start and which one would you close? Why?
I will answer this question for my new team after I received my first check from Google.

Frank Schneider
Head of Mobile Intelligence Systems, Fraunhofer Institute Germany
Caution: author's translation
What is the topic of your speech?
Real world testing and tasks for unmanned systems in the field of civil defense, emergency situations and disaster management. What are the main criteria for a reliable system for conducting competitions in these areas of robotics.
What do you expect from Skolkovo Robotics 2016?
We are ready to exchange experience in Russian robotics (for example, the use of EMERCOM of Russia robots), meet with experts and cooperate with innovative start-ups in Russia.

When will the robots be near us? Will they be anthropomorphic, i.e. like a man?
Robots will come immediately of all types and forms! Some of them will look like a person, others will be completely different from a person, for example, autonomous cars.

What directions in robotics seem to you the most promising?
Robotics is one of the most versatile areas of science. Robotics is located at the junction of mathematics, physics, biology, cybernetics, mechatronics, artificial intelligence, computer vision and much more ...
The world of robotics is also a world of big promises, unfortunately, it is also a world of bad grades and serious reevaluations. Taking all of the above into taking the most prosperous, projects in mobile robotics, defense and security can be noted.

Andra Kay
Director, Silicon Valley Robotics USA
Caution: author's translation

What is the topic of your speech?
As the robotic revolution unfolds and why Silicon Valley wins the robotics race right now.
What do you expect from Skolkovo Robotics 2016?
Strong innovation cluster using exciting new technologies of robotics and artificial intelligence.

When will the robots be near us? Will they be anthropomorphic, i.e. like a man?
Robots will be everywhere very soon. Our houses are already full of robotic technology, but we just call them technology. This is a natural human behavior, we are determined to pay attention to other humanoid forms. Robots should always be a little different from humans, so that it is a clear signal to us that this is a robot.

How do you see the prospects for cooperation between Russian robotic startups and US companies? How do you assess the potential for such cooperation?
This is a very interesting question. We are already collaborating in the global robotic scientific community, and I think this is very important at this early stage of technology. The world needs robots to help with global great challenges, such as food and energy security, disaster management, and population aging. We must jointly support the development of solutions in these areas.

Special sessions

There are no hall schemes yet, although it is already known that all events will take place in the Technopark and Skoltech buildings.

What sessions are most interesting for me?

Mandatory to visit, I noted "collaborative robotics for Industry 4.0". Representatives of ABB, KUKA, FESTO, FANUC, COMAU, Volgobas, NPO Saturn, Android Technique, Computer Robotics, Eidos-Robotics and many others are expected to speak.

Main topics: artificial intelligence: technical vision, recognition of speech, sound, speech synthesis and common understanding of the robot and man.

Key questions: Will science be able to reproduce complete intelligence? Where to wait for the next breakthrough of machine learning technologies?

Business models and the use of artificial intelligence technologies to provide intellectual support for human activity by computer and robotic systems. A large number of skipers, including Gary Bradsky, founder of Open CV

Audience : customers of different levels, where artificial intelligence technologies are potentially applicable, investors, representatives of development institutions, universities, the innovative public, entrepreneurs.

Master Classes

The organizers do not have the opportunity to disclose all the information on master classes. One thing is certain: you won't be bored. Already, you can register for events from:

• Microsoft
• League of Robots
• National instruments

President of the Skolkovo Foundation Viktor Vekselberg:
“Today, robotics is one of the leading directions of world technological development, and we in Skolkovo pay special attention to it. Evidence of this is the creation two years ago of the Skolkovo Robotic Center, which already brings together about sixty Russian companies. On May 20, 2016, our Robotics Center, together with partners, holds the annual Skolkovo Robotics conference, which managed to become the largest industry platform where innovators, investors and customers gather to discuss the main trends in the development of robotics. I would like to wish successful and fruitful work to all its organizers and participants! ”

MIT First Vice-Rector Evgeny Pluzhnik:
“Soon robots will become an integral part of our life. Moreover, the number of virtual and electromechanical intelligent agents in the near future will exceed the number of people on Earth. The Skolkovo Robotics 2016 conference, which brought together world-class experts in Russia, will facilitate the exchange of views, technology and the further improvement of intelligent machines. Now it is very important to educate a generation of young entrepreneurs, designers, engineers and scientists who will create service, home and industrial robots of the new generation. Young talents engaged in intellectual robotics studios and neurotechnology circles will receive prizes in competitions in robotics in Russia, and I am sure that in the near future they will win abroad as well. ”

Why am I going to visit Skolkovo Robotics 2016?

At the conference last year, the investment session enjoyed great success, during which start-ups could present their projects to venture investors and business angels. Last year, another format of performances was added: anyone could tell from the stage about his project and try to put together a team.

I made a prototype of a lawnmower robot . I was contacted from Robomow (a manufacturer of lawn mowers) and offered to make a lawn mower based on their robot, but with “cableless” technology. The problem is that now all serial models of robotic lawn mowers require a wire along the bevel border. The wire requires proper installation, it can accidentally hurt, you need to fence all zones, put a separate base.
The development of a robot that does not require a wire with weak EMP around the perimeter is a very interesting and promising task. To fully transform a prototype into a successful commercial project, resources and experience are needed. Even to get to crowdfunding, oddly enough, we need a lot of money.
I really liked the post

>>>> However, it does not seem like fate here - the project was turned twice in Skolkovo, due to my lack of specialized experience. On the one hand, they are certainly right, on the other - Zuckerberg would come to Skolkovo, and to him, “And how many social networks have you created?”. Enter into the team of bogus members - absolutely no desire. So, as always, life makes adjustments to rosy plans - you will probably first have to earn money for the project in other ways, and come back to it in 3-5 years time (if someone else needs it then).

I want to tell potential investors about my idea and find funding for developing the first Russian-made lawn mower.

According to ( Abulaphia ) Albert Efimov, this time more robots will be presented at Skolkovo Robotics - not only from Skolkovo residents, but in general from all over Russia. “Participation in the exhibition is free, the main criterion for selection is the presence of a robot,” said Albert Efimov.

I very much regret that I missed the 2015 conference, although I am a knee-applied diy driver, I see many interesting reasons for participating in this conference this year. I hope this post will help many of you understand why it is worth attending this event.

Registration link
Page on sk.ru

PS: A video broadcast will be organized at the event, which will be carried out by the resident of the Skolkovo Foundation, Ivideon, the developer of the video surveillance service via the Internet.

Thanks for attention!