Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 05/31/2024.
The presentation starts with a lighthearted look at society's views on robots, Hollywood's portrayal of them, the current state of the art, and the future of the technology. Philosophical questions about the nature of intelligence are discussed, as they pose serious problems for the creation of artificially intelligent devices. The final conclusion? Robots are phenomenally stupid and we should be more concerned about the next asteroid strike than a robotic rebellion. In spite of this, robots are still useful, and swarms are the future of robotics. McLurkin explains the need for swarms of robots and the technology required to produce their group behaviors. Live robot demonstrations and video clips of the swarm in action punctuate these main points. The presentation concludes with an autobiographical sketch that traces the events, ideas, and toys that have influenced McLurkin's career. Starting with cardboard boxes and tape, moving through LEGO and video games, this high-energy slide show concludes with a behind-the-scenes look at the construction of the iRobot Swarm.
James McLurkin is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Lifting as You Climb & Other Every Day Responsibilities of the Minority Professional, Engineering Creativity: Exercises for the Right Brain, The Future of Robotics & Swarm Robot Applications, The End of the World & Other Misconceptions: The Truth About Robotics and Dances with Robots: The Story of One Engineer, 112 Little Robots, & the Toys, Insects, & Star Wars Movies that Made it all Possible. The estimated speaking fee range to book James McLurkin for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. James McLurkin generally travels from Seattle, WA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Hava Siegelmann, Ray Kurzweil, Dr. Michio Kaku, Helen Greiner and Jana Eggers. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling James McLurkin for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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