Event Overview
Japan has been traditionally the world’s dominant innovator in robotics and its application in many critical industries. However, in the past decade, the U.S. has drastically elevated its presence in this technologically demanding field. Given the rise of the US in robotics, intriguing and important questions arise: Can Japan maintain its preeminent position? What can Japan learn from the U.S, and vice versa? What effects could the following conditions have on the innovative leap by the U.S.: legacy software sector, the rise of robotic startups in Silicon Valley, and collaboration among academia, industry and military? Undoubtedly significant new waves are emerging in this field. Now is the time to reset our views of the future of robotics. Robot demo presented by Silicon Valley startups, Anybots, Grabit, and Neato Robotics, will welcome you through this endeavor!
| Panel: | Brian Gerkey – CEO, Open Source Robotics Foundation James Kuffner – Research Scientist, Google Research & CMU Robotics Institute Yasuhiro Ota – Manager, Partner Robot/ Advanced Engineering Group, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. Norri Kageki (panelist / moderator) – Publisher, GetRobo |
| Date: | Wednesday, November 7th, 2012 Registration/Robot Demo/Networking: 5:30 P.M. – 6:30 P.M. Program: 6:30 P.M. – 8:15 P.M. Robot Demo/Networking: 8:15 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. |
| Venue: | Oshman Family JCC (Jewish Community Center) Albert & Janet Schultz Cultural Arts Hall 3921 Fabian Way Palo Alto, CA 94303 |
| Fees: | $15: Early Bird Discount for first 30 registrations by Saturday, October 20 (11:00 pm) Please take advantage of early bird discount. Quantity is limited so act fast! We sold out at our last forum so register now. $20: Regular Registration by Saturday, November 3 (11:00 pm) $35: Late Registration by Tuesday, November 6 (12:00 noon) $50: Walk-ins (Seats are limited and may not be available) Food, including sushi and beverages, will be served. |
| Registration: | http://www.keizai.org |
| DRESS: | Business casual |
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| Forum Flyer – English (pdf) Forum Flyer – Japanese (pdf) |
Featured Panelists and Moderator
Brian Gerkeyh is CEO of OSRF. Prior to joining OSRF, Brian was Director of Open Source Development at Willow Garage. Previously, Brian was a Computer Scientist in the Artificial Intelligence Center at SRI, and before that, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Artificial Intelligence Lab at Stanford University. Brian received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Southern California (USC) in 2003, his M.S. in Computer Science from USC in 2000, and his B.S.E. in Computer Engineering, with a secondary major in Mathematics and a minor in Robotics and Automation, from Tulane University in 1998.
James Kuffner is a Research Scientist at Google and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. He received a Ph.D. from the Stanford University Dept. of Computer Science Robotics Laboratory in 1999. He spent two years as a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Tokyo working on software and planning algorithms for humanoid robots. He joined the faculty at Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute in 2002. He has published over 100 technical papers and received the Okawa Foundation Award for Young Researchers in 2007.
Dr. Yasuhiro Ota takes a leading role as Manager for Partner Robot / Advanced Engineering Group at Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America (TEMA). He is responsible for managing advanced R&D activities and is also being active as one of the few Japanese delegates for the ISO robot standardization committee. Prior to joining TEMA, Dr. Ota worked for
Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan where he was engaged in the development of the world’s first wire-driven bipedal robot which was admirably displayed at the Toyota Pavilion as part of the Aichi World Expo in 2005. In addition to Dr. Ota’s professional experience in industry, he has served as an organizing chair and several session chairs, as well as technical committees, for various IEEE conferences. Furthermore, he has demonstrated his professional career as a reviewer for several IEEE conference proceedings and journals.
Norri Kageki is a journalist with over 20 years experience covering technology and high tech businesses in both Japan and the U.S. After studying applied physics at Hokkaido University, she became a technology writer at Nikkei, Japan’s largest financial daily. She was Nikkei’s Silicon Valley Correspondent between 1997 and 2001. In 2005, Norri started GetRobo, a robotics news site, and has focused her work on the field of robotics since then.
Founded in 1990, the Keizai Society US-Japan Business Forum is an all- volunteer business and professional networking organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area. One of its primary purposes is to provide a venue for programs that showcase specialists with expertise on issues critical to the success of entrepreneurs and companies doing business with Japan and the U.S. Please visit www.keizai.org for more information.
Keizai Society’s theme for 2012 is “Japan in Transformation.” It encompasses commercial entrepreneurship and new venture formation as well as social entrepreneurship, new patterns of employment, corporate reform and many other critical priorities that are already breathing new life into Japan’s business community and its other institutions.
