**Latest news:

Call for papers now closed.  Programme to be published shortly.
Proceedings to be published by Springer LNCS

Workshops on biohybrid systems, neuromorphics, and soft robotics

Exhibition. Registered participants may bring a biomimetic or biohybrid system demo at no 
additional cost.  Attractive rates and facilities for full exhibits.  Please see further 
information at:

http://www.csnetwork.eu/system/files/Exhibitor_sponsor_information_May1st-1.pdf

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ABOUT LIVING MACHINES 2012

The development of future real-world technologies will depend strongly on our understanding and 
harnessing of the principles underlying living systems and the flow of communication signals 
between living and artificial systems.

Biomimetics is the development of novel technologies through the distillation of principles from 
the study of biological systems. The investigation of biomimetic systems can serve two 
complementary goals. First, a suitably designed and configured biomimetic artefact can be used to 
test theories about the natural system of interest. Second, biomimetic technologies can provide 
useful, elegant and efficient solutions to unsolved challenges in science and engineering. 
Biohybrid systems are formed by combining at least one biological component—an existing living 
system—and at least one artificial, newly-engineered component. By passing information in one or 
both directions, such a system forms a new hybrid bio-artificial entity.

The development of either biomimetic or biohybrid systems requires a deep understanding of the 
operation of living systems, and the two fields are united under the theme of “living machines”—the
idea that we can construct artefacts, such as robots, that not only mimic life but share the same 
fundamental principles; or build technologies that can be combined with a living body to restore 
or extend its functional capabilities.

Biomimetic and biohybrid technologies, from nano- to macro-scale, are expected to produce major 
societal and economical impacts in quality of life and health, information and communication 
technologies, robotics, prosthetics, brain-machine interfacing and nanotechnology.
Such systems should also lead to significant advances in the biological and brain sciences that 
will help us to better understand ourselves and the natural world. The following are some examples:

•      Biomimetic robots and their component technologies (sensors, actuators, processors) that 
can intelligently interact with their environments.

•      Active biomimetic materials and structures that self-organize and self-repair.

•      Biomimetic computers—neuromimetic emulations of the physiological basis for intelligent behaviour.

•      Biohybrid brain-machine interfaces and neural implants.

•      Artificial organs and body-parts including sensory organ-chip hybrids and intelligent prostheses.

•     Organism-level biohybrids such as robot-animal or robot-human systems.


ACTIVITIES

The main conference, 10th–12th July, will take the form of a three-day single-track oral and 
poster presentation programme that will include six plenary lectures from leading international 
researchers in biomimetic and biohybrid systems.

The proceedings of the conference will be published in the Springer Lecture Notes in Computer 
Science (LNCS). Submissions will be in the form of full papers or extended abstracts.

Submissions are also invited for an exhibition to feature working biomimetic or biohybrid systems 
and biomimetic/biohybrid art.

Active researchers in biomimetic and biohybrid systems are also invited to propose topics for 
1-day tutorials or workshops on related themes, to be held on the 9th July.

Plenary speakers are: Joseph Ayers (Northeastern University) on synthetic neuroethology; Dieter 
Braun (Ludwig Maximilians University) on synthetic life, Peter Fromherz (Max Plank Institute) on 
neuroelectronic hybrids; Toshio Fukuda (Nagoya University) on micro-nano biomimetic and biohybrid 
devices; David Lentink (Stanford University)  on fluid dynamics of flight; and Barry Trimmer 
(Tufts University) on soft, invertebrate-inspired robots.

ABOUT THE VENUE

The organisers are delighted to have secured La Pedrera
(www.lapedreraeducacio.org/) as the venue for our conference.  La Pedrera, designed by the 
modernist, nature-inspired Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, is a world heritage site, and one of 
the best known buildings in Barcelona.  The conference will make use of the modern conference 
facilities provided by the La Pedrera Auditorium, whilst the exhibition will take place in the 
adjacent Gaudi Hall.  La Pedrera is located within the fashionable Eixample district and within 
walking distance of Barcelona’s old city, including the Gotic quarter, the cathedral, and the 
Playa Catalunya. The workshops/tutorial day will be hosted at the University Pompeu Fabra, Campus Poblenou.

DEADLINES

May 31st.  Close of early registration.

July 9-12th 2012. Conference (9th July is workshops/tutorials)



SPONSORSHIP

Living Machines 2012 is sponsored by the Convergent Science Network
(CSN) for Biomimetic and Biohybrid Systems which is an EU FP7 Future Emerging Technologies 
Co-ordination Activity (FP7-ICT-CSN-248986). CSN currently organises two highly successful 
workshop series: the Barcelona Summer School on Brain, Technology and Cognition
(http://bcbt.upf.edu/bcbt11/) and the Capoccaccia Neuromorphic Cognitive Engineering Workshop 
(http://capocaccia.ethz.ch/capo/wiki/2011).  The conference is delighted to be associated with the 
Institute of Physics journal Biomimetics & Bioinspiration who will have a stand at meeting.

Other organisations wishing to sponsor the conference in any way and gain the corresponding 
benefits by promoting themselves and their products to through conference publications, the 
conference web-site, and conference publicity are encouraged to contact the conference organisers 
to discuss the terms of sponsorship and necessary arrangements.

We are looking forwards to seeing you in Barcelona.

Conference Secretariat:

info.csnetwork@upf.edu

Laboratory Of Synthetic Perceptive, Emotive And Cognitive Systems - SPECS

Institute Of Audio-Visual Studies (IUA)

Universitat Pompeu Fabra

Communication-Poblenou Campus (La Nau Building)

Postal address: Roc Boronat, 138. 08018 Barcelona

Phone: (34) 93 542 22 01

Fax: (34) 93 542 22 02

Organising Committee:

Tony Prescott (co-chair)

Paul Verschure (co-chair)

Giacomo Indiveri

Stefano Vassanelli

Ian Gwilt

Carme Buisan

Nathan Lepora

Anna Mura


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