Live Stream Schedule: March 1, 2024 (Friday) 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM
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The new season of iCANX Talks is about to kick off! On March 1st, 2024, at 8 PM Beijing time, the 175th episode of iCANX Talks will feature Professor Joshua Bongard from the University of Vermont! We warmly invite you to join this intellectual feast and explore the future of robotic intelligence together.
Guest Introduction
Joshua Bongard
University of Vermont
Embodying Intelligence in Rigid, Soft, and Biological Robots
Abstract
Our society is chasing two dreams in the realm of creating smart machines: non-embodied AI and embodied AI. The latest breakthroughs in non-embodied AI, like ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion, lack a physical form to interact with and learn from the world. This limitation hampers their ability to grasp common sense and evolve beyond the data they were trained on. Proponents of embodied AI argue that for machines to truly learn and grow, they need a physical presence to interact with their environment, pushing against it and observing the pushback. This interaction lays the groundwork for the development of genuine intelligence. In my talk, I'll show how incorporating a physical form, ranging from rigid to soft, and even biological robots, can significantly enhance a machine's cognitive capabilities. We'll explore how increasing physical adaptability allows these machines to achieve mental adaptability, enabling them to alter their thought processes. I'll wrap up with a vision for the future of such embodied intelligences.
Our quest to craft intelligent machines splits into two roads: non-embodied AI and embodied AI. The forefront of non-embodied AI includes technologies like ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion, which operate without a physical form to explore the world. This absence limits their capacity for common sense and advancement beyond their initial programming. Embodied AI researchers believe that for machines to cultivate true intelligence, they need a physical form to engage with and learn from their surroundings. This presentation by Professor Joshua Bongard delves into how physical forms, from rigid to soft and even biological robots, can elevate machine cognition. We'll see how machines gain the ability to modify their physical structure, enhancing their mental agility and ability to adapt their thinking. The talk concludes with prospects for the future of embodied intelligences.
Biography
Joshua Bongard is the Veinott Professor of Computer Science at the University of Vermont, leading the Morphology, Evolution & Cognition Laboratory. His lab is at the forefront of creating AI, robots, and computer-designed organisms, known as “xenobots”. His contributions to the field earned him a research award from President Barack Obama in 2011, a feature on Morgan Freeman’s ‘Through the Wormhole’, recognition as one of MIT Technology Review’s Top 35 Innovators Under 35, and the Cozzarelli Prize from the National Academy of Sciences. Bongard’s work has been spotlighted on CNN and covered by major media outlets like The New York Times, The New Yorker, and BBC. He is the author of “How The Body Shapes the Way We Think” and facilitates the Ludobots online course on reddit.com. Joshua Bongard is the Veinotte Professor of Computer Science at the University of Vermont, where he heads the Morphology, Evolution, and Cognition Laboratory. His lab is at the forefront of creating artificial intelligence, robotics, and computational designs for biological organisms, often referred to as "xenobots." In 2011, he was honored by former President Barack Obama with a research award in a ceremony at the White House and made an appearance on Morgan Freeman's science series "Through the Wormhole." Bongard was also named in MIT Technology Review's top innovators under 35 and received the Cozzarelli Prize from the National Academy of Sciences. His work has caught the attention of major media outlets including CNN, The New York Times, The New Yorker, and the BBC. Beyond his research, he's an author, notably of "How the Body Shapes the Way We Think," and has launched the Ludobots course on reddit.com.
