[humaine news] International Summer School in Interactive Robots and Media

[Kostas Karpouzis]

Interactive Robots & Media Laboratory
United Arab Emirates University
Asst. Prof. Nikolaos Mavridis
Director, IRML
PhD, MIT Media Laboratory
irmluaeu at gmail.com

The Interactive Robots and Media Lab of the UAEU, next to Dubai, home of 
the Microsoft-chosen "FaceBots" social robotics project, 
(http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2008/may08/05-16HRI.mspx, 
recently covered on BBC and media of more than 20 countries worldwide) 
as well as "IbnSina", the world's first arabic speaking humanoid, part 
of the IbnSina interactive theatre installation, is organizing its 
second international summer school, which will take place in 2009 
between July 5 and July 31 (four weeks). The summer-school will be 
mini-project based, with multiple teams of 2-3 students, and selected 
lectures will also take place.

There will be free accommodation as well as a stipend for a limited 
number of applicants with excellent qualifications. Applicants can be at 
postdoctoral, graduate, and also undergraduate level. Excursions to 
local attractions (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujeirah etc) will take place in 
the weekends, as well as tours of the region's numerous spectacular sights.

To apply, please send CV as well as names and information of three 
referees to irmluaeu at gmail.com

Desired qualifications
----------------------
- Relevant Background in CS, EE, or Interactive Media
- Coding experience/expertise (C++ / Matlab / Java)
- Engineering / real world troubleshooting skills
- Interest and experience in one or more of the following technical 
areas: human-robot interaction, AI, computer vision, NLP, social networks
- Interest in cognitive science and philosophy advantageous
- Team working skills
- Most importantly, desire, imagination, systematicity and persistance 
in order to create the interactive robots and media of the future

The IRML Lab
------------
http://www.hafeet.uaeu.ac.ae/irml/
Core research areas include (but are not limited to): interactive and 
social robotics and media, humanoid robotics, robotics and media for the 
arts and digital cultural heritage

The lab is equipped with multiple robots (mobile tour guide robots, 
manipulator arms, mini vehicles), state-of-the-art full-body motion 
capture, cybergloves and wireless 6DOF sensors, as well as advanced 
vision systems.

Furthermore, IRML has continuous access to color 3D printing and 3D 
scanning, as well as to a machine shop, and microcontroller / 
electronics labs, for prototyping novel interactive devices. In terms of 
computational resources, a high-performance grid computer is available 
for use, as well as multiple workstations.

There is also close contact with numerous world-class institutions and 
companies in the field, across three continents.

The University
--------------
UAEU is the oldest university in the country, and has recently been 
ranked as the second best research university in the Arab world. It is a 
fully-fledged university consisting of ten colleges and having more than 
15000 students. The college of IT of UAEU has recently moved to an 
ultra-modern futuristically-equipped building, and is currently 
undergoing rapid expansion, with Eyad Abed of UMaryland (MIT/Berkeley 
graduate) assuming our deanship in the next months.

The place
---------
Al Ain is strategically located in one-hour driving distance from both 
Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and is a beautiful oasis city of half a million, 
and a favourite cultural retreat for residents of the UAE. It has an 
international airport, four ultra-modern shopping malls with ice-skating 
facilities, various recreational facilities, a picturesque traditional 
city centre, and a spectacular mountain, among many other attractions.

Dubai, being easily accessible by car from Al Ain (one hour), is a 
vibrant liberal multicultural city, the main commercial hub of the 
middle east, and one of the most enjoyable places to visit, where 
imagination is realized everyday through projects that exist nowhere 
else in the world: the tallest building in the world (under 
construction), the most luxurious hotel in the world (Burj Al Arab), 
man-made island communities in the shapes of palms visible from space, 
rich shopping malls with artificial skiing centers. The world's finest 
cultural and artistic events also abound. In short, there are excellent 
opportunities for an exciting cosmopolitan lifestyle, in an exotic 
multicultural environment, where nothing is impossible.