Disney showcasing latest robots at Robotics Summit & Expo

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If you’ve ever been to a Disney park, you’ve probably interacted with work from Disney’s Imagineering team. Founded in 1952, the team is tasked with bringing our favorite characters from the screen into the real world using cutting-edge robotics technology.

Join us for an interactive exploration of Disney’s innovative use of robots at the Robotics Summit & Expo, which takes place at the Boston Convention Center on May 1-2. Disney researchers Moritz Baecher, Morgan Pope, and Tony Dohi will demo Disney’s latest robots and explain how they’re bringing some of Disney’s beloved characters to life.

Disney’s keynote session will take place at 10 AM ET on May 2. You can view the complete Robotics Summit agenda here. Speakers are still being added.

Baecher is an associate lab director of robotics of Disney research at Walt Disney Imagineering. There, he leads a strategic program focusing on the development of novel model- and learning-based tools for the design and control of believable robotic characters. Baecher’s core expertise is the optimal design and control of both soft and rigid systems, using a combination of differentiable simulation and reinforcement learning. Before joining Disney, he received his Ph.D. from the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and his master’s degree from ETH Zurich.

Pope is a Research Scientist at Disney Imagineering. He specializes in creating highly dynamic robotic performances for entertainment applications. While obtaining his Ph.D. in the Biomimetics and Dextrous Manipulation Laboratory at Stanford, he built small robots that jumped, flew, perched, and climbed in various combinations. At Disney Research, he is the technical lead for the Stuntronics project that enables actuated figures to perform untethered, high-velocity gymnastic actions robustly and repeatably.

Dohi is a Principal R&D Imagineer at Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development where he conceives new guest experiences leveraging the latest in technology and invention. Most recently, he led the development of Stuntronics technology, which combines advanced robotics with untethered dynamic movement, allowing autonomous figures with onboard sensors and processors to perform a variety of flips, twists, and poses with repeatability and precision.

This will be the largest Robotics Summit ever. It will include more than 200 exhibitors, various networking opportunities, a women in robotics breakfast, a career fair, an engineering theater, a startup showcase, and more!

New to the event is the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards Gala. The event will include a cocktail hour, plated dinner, photo opportunities, and the chance to hear from the Robot of the Year, Startup of the Year, and Application of the Year winners. Each RBR50 winner will receive two complimentary tickets to the Robotics Summit and RBR50 Gala. A limited number of tickets are available to attendees, but they’re selling fast.

The Robotics Summit & Expo will be co-located with DeviceTalks, an event focused on medical devices, and the inaugural Digital Transformation Forum. Registration is now open for the event.

Sponsorship Opportunities
For information about sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, download the prospectus. Questions regarding sponsorship opportunities should be directed to Colleen Sepich at csepich[AT]wtwhmedia.com.