FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Get Your Bot On! is thrilled to have the Intelligent Assistive Technology and Systems Lab (IATSL) as our Gold Sponsor for the Get Your Bot On! Robotics Hackathon “Positronic: Robots and Brains” ( http://www.ot.utoronto.ca/iatsl/ ).
The IATSL’s goal is to develop zero-effort technologies that are adaptive, flexible, and intelligent, to enable users to participate fully in their daily lives. The IATSL is located in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto and at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute as part of the Artificial Intelligence & Robotics in Rehab Team. One area of research at the lab is exploration of the use of robotics for ageing in place. The team develops intelligent, mobile robots that can engage elderly adults and help them stay at home and live independently while dealing with the challenges of the onset of dementia or loss of abilities.
As part of their commitment to this growing field, and in support of the GYBO theme for 2014, the IATSL has offered the winning team of robohackers an internship at the lab, which includes a $5000 stipend.
To qualify, robots should relate to the theme of the hackathon and complement the lab’s focus of technologies for ageing in place, mobile social robots, and assistive technologies.
The winning team will work at the lab and have access to mentorship and expertise from the lab’s director Alex Mihailidis as well as his outstanding team of graduate students and professionals.
The lab is situated within the Toronto Rehab facilities and has first class prototyping facilities available in addition to full at-home simulation capabilities to test out the robots.
The prize includes:
- $5000 in stipends to continue working on the robot
- desk space at the lab
- access to mentors and experts from the lab
- assistance with prototyping and access to the prototyping facilities
- participation in other lab projects and initiatives
Teams at the robotics hackathon can elect to submit their robot for competition in this special prize category. Lab representatives will be available during the weekend to advise participants on ways robotics can respond to the challenge of ageing at home.
By 2030 28.5% of all Canadians will be over the age of 60. That’s over ¼ of the population! This has significant implications for our healthcare delivery and for every Canadian’s quality of life. In response to this demographic shift, Canada will need solutions that will help people live more independently, help them stay healthier longer and help them stave off the effects of an ageing brain.
This year Get Your Bot On! has added a family registration category for children and parents as well as a reduced registration rate for high school and university students. The IATSL challenges families, students, enthusiasts, and the general public to build a robot and tackle the challenge of an ageing population!
About Get Your Bot On!
Get Your Bot On! is a not-for-profit organization that produces robotics hackathons: Do-It-Together events where unlikely collaborators from diverse backgrounds build their robot prototype ideas. We can enable anyone to make robots with some open tech, a few tools, and a little help. Through their prototyping experience our robohackers better understand this emerging field and bring their insight, ideas and expertise to it.
November 14-16, 2014 Get Your Bot On! is presented in Partnership with the Ontario Science Centre and the theme is “Positronic: Robots and Brains”. Teams will explore social robotics, consumer robotics and healthcare robotics for challenges such as aging at home and assisting people with dementia.
Our Corporate Innovation Challenge will host teams of employees from firms looking to develop the innovation skills necessary for the challenges of tomorrow.
Register now at www.getyourboton.com
For media inquiries:
Uttam Bajwa
Media Outreach Coordinator
ubajwa at getyourboton.com
GYBO Robotics Network 