The “China – Canada (Ontario) Research Cooperation Symposium on AI and Robots”, co-organized by China’s Consulate-General in Toronto and the Ontario Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science, was held on May 2 and 3 in Toronto. Around 200 people, including Chinese experts from Tsinghua University, Peking University, Zhejiang University, and Harbin Institute of Technology, Canadian experts from the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo, the University of Ottawa and York University, as well as industrial elites from both countries attended the symposium. Experts from both sides engaged in deep discussions on the latest research results, as well as areas of interest for future development of in the fields of AI and robotics.
The Tsinghua Office of Scientific R&D organized a team of 13 experts from the departments of Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Precision Instruments, as well as from the Center for Brain Inspired Computing Research (CBICR) to attend the symposium. At the meeting Prof. Shi Luping from the CBICR introduced brain-inspired computing systems. Other talks included those by Associate Prof. Wang Yu from the Department of Electronic Engineering on the design and application of neural network processors, by Associate Prof. Sun Zhenguo from the Department of Mechanical Engineering on permanent magnetic absorbed wall-climbing robot and research into their application, and by Associate Prof. Wang Wenhui from the Department of Precision Instrument on bio-MEMS devices and robot systems. The symposium gathered experts from colleges, research institutions and industry, with 40 keynote speeches given by participants from over 30 institutions. Thanks to the support of both governments, the symposium was a successful platform for science and technology cooperation between China and Canada. In 2011, the Ontario government and China’s Ministry of Science and Technology co-established a joint research fund with funding of 2 million dollars each year (1 million from each side), in order to support strategic research in technologically cutting-edge fields, and to promote joint research and the industrial transformation of research results. In the past few years, the fund has already supported research in energy storage and biological materials; the focus of the funding this year is on the fields of AI and robotics.
On May 3 and 4, several experts attended an AI symposium co-organized by Tsinghua University and the University of Toronto. Leaders of scientific research from both universities discussed university level research cooperation modes and agreed on establishing a strategic partnership.
[updated:2018-05]
