Biography: Christoforos Hadjicostis is Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Cyprus. He received S.B. degrees in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, and Mathematics, the M.Eng. degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in 1995, and the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in 1999, all from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA. In 1999, he joined the Faculty at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he was with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the Coordinated Science Laboratory, and the Information Trust Institute. Since 2007, he has been with the University of Cyprus, where he has spent terms as Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and as Dean of Engineering. His research focuses on fault diagnosis and tolerance in distributed dynamic systems, discrete event systems, error control coding, and applications to network security and anomaly detection. Dr. Hadjicostis is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Discrete Event Dynamic Systems and Senior Editor of IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control. He is a fellow of IEEE.
Speech Title: Invariant-Based Resiliency in Distributed Average Consensus
Abstract: Complex systems that are managed/controlled over cyber infrastructures, such as wireless and wired broadband networks, are becoming ubiquitous and range from smart grids and transportation networks, to embedded electronic devices and robotic networks. The emergence of these cyber-physical systems has sparked huge interest in distributed estimation, control and coordination problems. In this talk, we present some recent progress in this area by focusing on an operation that is key for several such tasks: the distributed computation of the average (more generally, a weighted linear combination) of various parameters held at different agents of a multi-agent system. We discuss challenges pertaining to adversarial conditions, such as packet drops on the network links and/or the presence of faulty/malicious agents. In particular, we report on key invariant conditions that can be used to perform anytime error detection/correction, as well as to collectively remove the effects of previous communication exchanges with agents that are subsequently determined to be faulty/malicious.
Biography: Maki Habib obtained his Doctor of Engineering Sciences (DES) in Intelligent and Autonomous Robotics from the University of Tsukuba in 1990, Japan. He was a selected research scientist at RIKEN, Japan, and senior researcher at RISO-Laboratories, Japan, and visiting researcher at EPFL, Switzerland. He was a visiting expert under Asian Development Bank (ADB), Associate Professor at UTM, Malaysia, and a Senior Manager at MCRIA for engineering projects and industrial consultation, Malaysia. He was a leading senior research scientist with GMD-Japan, Japan leading Telecooperation research group. Associate Professor with Monash University (Australia/Malaysia), he developed and led the Mechatronics Engineering program. He was appointed as a full Professor of Robotics and Mechatronics at Swinburne University (Australia/Malaysia). Then, he was an invited Professor at KAIST, South Korea, Residing Professor at Saga University, Japan, and since Sept. 2007 he is a full Professor of Robotics and Mechatronics at AUC. Habib was a visiting professor (short term) at many Universities around the world, such as, Nagasaki University-Japan, Hokkoido University-Japan, Orebro University – Sweden, Norwegian University of Science and Technology – Norway, etc. Habib served as a consultant and Technical advisor to well-known international companies including Toyota group and ABB.
Habib is Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Regional Editor and Associate Editor of 10 International Journals, and Editorial Board member of another 10 International Journals beside his leadership as a member of international organizing/program committee of more than 20 International Conference every year.
Habib edited more than 14 books, published more than 26 book chapters and also more than 275 papers at international journals and international conferences.
Speech Title: Intelligent Learning in Robotics: Advancing Autonomy and Interaction
Abstract: This paper explores the transformative role of intelligent learning in robotics, highlighting its impact on advancing robot autonomy and broadening the scope of interaction within diverse environments. By integrating advanced sensor technologies, intelligent learning equips robots with the capability to dynamically adapt in response to their physical and situational context, enhancing both their decision-making processes and functional capabilities. An essential aspect of the investigation is how intelligent learning enables robots to interact with and deeply understand their operational spaces, emphasizing the recognition of affordances. This refined perception allows robots to identify and act upon the possibilities presented by their environments, thereby refining their behaviors and task execution strategies.
This talk explores the synergy between cutting-edge computational technologies, including sensor fusion, and the anticipated contributions of quantum computing in facilitating the real-time analysis of sensor data. This integration is essential for enabling informed, adaptive learning processes that sustain sophisticated interaction and affordance recognition. This paper outlines the trajectory for next-generation robotics by presenting current achievements and identifying future challenges. Enhanced learning capabilities promise to introduce a new era of robots that are more autonomous and adept at employing environmental affordances for improved navigation, task execution, and interaction.
In conclusion, this talk advocates for further research into the synergy between intelligent learning, interaction, and affordance recognition in robotics. This exploration is vital for unlocking the full potential of robots as autonomous and interactive agents in complex, ever-changing environments.
Biography: Kin-Choong Yow obtained his B.Eng (Elect) with 1st Class Honours from the National University of Singapore in 1993, and his Ph.D. from Cambridge University, UK in 1998. He joined the University of Regina in September 2018, where he is presently a Professor in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. Prior to joining UofR, he was an Associate Professor in the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Republic of Korea, (2013-2018), Professor at the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT), P.R. China (2012-2013), and Associate Professor at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore (1998-2013). In 1999-2005, he served as the Sub-Dean of Computer Engineering in NTU, and in 2006-2008, he served as the Associate Dean of Admissions in NTU.
Kin-Choong Yow’s research interest is in Artificial General Intelligence and Smart Environments. Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is a higher form of Machine Intelligence (or Artificial Intelligence) where the intelligent agent (or machine) is able to successfully perform any intellectual task that a human being can. Kin-Choong Yow has published over 100 top quality international journal and conference papers, and he has served as reviewer for a number of premier journals and conferences, including the IEEE Wireless Communications and the IEEE Transactions on Education. He has been invited to give presentations at various scientific meetings and workshops, such as ACIRS, in 2018 and 2019; ICSPIC, in 2018; and ICATME, in 2021. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Advances in Information Technology (JAIT), a Managing Editor of the International Journal of Information Technology (IntJIT), and a Guest Editor of MDPI Applied Sciences. He is also a member of APEGS and ACM, and a senior member with the IEEE.
His pioneering work in Mobile and Interactive Learning won the HP Philanthropy grant in 2003 for applying Mobile Technologies in a Learning Environment. Only 7 awards were given to the 21 Asia Pacific Countries who were invited, and his project was the only one from Singapore to win it. Also, in 2003, he was one of the only 2 Singaporeans to be awarded participation to the ASEAN Technology Program on Multi Robot Cooperation Development held in KAIST, Korea.
He was the winner of the NTU Excellence in Teaching Award 2005, and he won the Most Popular SCE Year 1 lecturer for 4 consecutive years 2004-2007. He has led numerous student teams to National and International victories such as the IEEE Computer Society International Design Competition (CSIDC) (2001), the Microsoft Imagine Cup (2002, 2003 and 2005), and the Wireless Challenge (2003).
Speech Title: Enhancing Artificial Intelligence with Self Attention Mechanisms
Abstract: The self-attention mechanism is a key component in modern machine learning models, particularly when dealing with sequential data. Self-attention mechanisms are crucial for enabling models to capture long-range dependencies and contextual relationships within data. Unlike traditional architectures that rely on fixed-size receptive fields, self-attention allows each element in a sequence to attend to all other elements, dynamically weighting their importance. This capability empowers models to discern intricate patterns and dependencies across various positions in the input, fostering more robust and contextually rich representations. In this talk, we will explore the principles behind Self-Attention mechanisms and we will discuss our experience in applying self attention mechanisms to various artificial intelligence applications such as violence detection in surveillance videos, semantic segmentation in autonomous driving, and Covid-19 hospitalization prediction.
Biography: Dr. Bashar El-Khasawneh is the Founder and Chair of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Professional UAE Section. A founder of the Dexter Robotics startup company. He is currently an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Khalifa University. He served as the chair of the graduate program at the Mechanical Engineering Department from 2016-2019. He served as the Associate Chair for the department from 2013-2016. Before that, he was an academic advisor for the British University in Dubai to develop an accredited industrial engineering program. Between 2008 and 2010, he was the Manager of the Applied Research Programs at King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB), Jordan. Between 2002 and 2008, he held an assistant professor position in the Industrial Engineering Department at Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST); within that time, he served as department chairman for two years. Between 1998 and 2002, he worked for Caterpillar Incorporated in the technical center and for KLA-Tencor with the technology group in the USA. He worked extensively on technical and managerial assistance for many industries. He founded a design and development pre-incubator at JUST University to train and qualify students to become entrepreneurs. He obtained his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA (1997). He is a member of the Advisory Board of the Innovation Lab at the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and the editorial board of IJAER. His current research is focused on developing new concepts of advanced machining centers based on parallel kinematics mechanisms and machining in harsh environments by adapting to the environment/geometry and being able to perform machining/welding tasks, and developing robotic platforms for 3D printing of structures.
Speech Title: Breed of Novel Robots for Manufacturing, Construction, and Service Applications
Abstract: Automation and robotics have become ubiquitous, permeating every aspect of our lives and profoundly influencing our daily routines and livelihoods. This keynote will explore the vast array of robotics applications and delve into our group's extensive research spanning manufacturing, construction, and service sectors over the years.
Our research focuses on leveraging parallel kinematics systems to develop innovative robotic solutions. These cutting-edge systems encompass a diverse range of robots, including a 5-axis machine tool hybrid-serial-parallel system, a cable-driven robotic system tailored for 3D printing of structures and buildings, the patented Cling robot designed for high-rise building maintenance tasks such as cleaning, painting, and inspection - which has evolved into a successful spin-off company, and a reconfigurable system adaptable for field machining applications, boasting the ability to adjust its degrees of freedom based on specific application requirements.
During the keynote, we will outline the roadmap for the development of such advanced robotic systems and share insights into our research outcomes. Join us as we explore the transformative potential of robotics and discuss the future implications of these groundbreaking technologies.