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Issues & Experts Archive > Robotics, Layton, spaceworms, puppets, insects – Issues, experts and ideas
Robotics, Layton, spaceworms, puppets, insects – Issues, experts and ideas
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May 31, 2006
Soccer dogs play, then head for Germany
Touted as Canada’s only four-legged soccer team, Vadim Kyrylov’s robotic dogs will soon be on their way to Germany — site of soccer’s World Cup — for some international play, as part of a robotics conference. Athletics aside, the dogs were created to help researchers study artificial intelligence and robotics. Kyrylov, a professor of interactive arts at SFU Surrey, will bring the team, known as SFUnleashed, to the Burnaby campus for demonstrations at SFU’s Open House. (applied sciences, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.)
Urban studies students to host Layton
Jack Layton, federal NDP leader and former political science and geography professor, will be on campus in Burnaby June 3 to conduct a seminar as a guest of graduate students in SFU's urban studies program. At 1:45 p.m. in room AQ 3181, he’ll give a public presentation on Canada's urban and environmental challenges and the kind of actions required to move Canada, and particularly Canada's cities, towards a sustainable future. Media opportunities will be available at 2:30 p.m., immediately after the presentation.
Puppets on parade
A collection of 600 rare Indonesian shadow puppets recently donated to SFU will be the focus of a blessing ceremony in SFU’s museum of archaeology and ethnology (in the northeast end of the academic quadrangle) at 12:30 p.m. At 1:15 p.m. there will be a procession of puppets and musical instruments to the school for the contemporary arts. Puppet plays, gamelan music and a dance of thanksgiving will take place until 3 p.m.
Worms in Space
They are worms with a mission - to help scientists determine the biological effects of radiation in space. SFU researchers are studying tiny (one millimeter long) space-traveling nematodes known as Caenohabditis elegans. PhD student Martin Jones will be at the SFU Open House to talk about the research. (room C9000 at 2:30 p.m.)
Communicating with insects
To see Melanie Hart grooming an almost six-inch-long giant African millipede is a fascinating—if somewhat unsettling—experience. To hear her communicating with a tiny peach twig borer is out of this world; it’s part of the vermin world experience. Hart is a member of SFU biology professor Gerhard Gries’ lab, which will be featuring the sights and sounds of the vermin world at the SFU Open House. (south AQ, all day). The lab will feature giant millipedes, stick insects and leaf insects. Hart’s research on how peach twig borers use sound to make love is being patented. Hart will teach kids of all ages how to communicate with insects using a tin can and comb.
Earth Sciences Rocks!
There'll be a lot of shifting and shaking going on in the SFU Open House's yellow zone (south academic quadrangle). That's where Earth Sciences department will highlight causes and results of earthquakes and volcanoes. SFU vulcanologist Glyn Williams-Jones has traveled the world studying volcanic activity. During the open house, he will make a one hour presentation at 2:30 pm in AQ 3154 called Living in the Ring of Fire. Afterwards, Williams-Jones will be available to talk about how worried Indonesians should be about a possible volcanic eruption on the heels of a devastating earthquake that has killed thousands of people.
Touted as Canada’s only four-legged soccer team, Vadim Kyrylov’s robotic dogs will soon be on their way to Germany — site of soccer’s World Cup — for some international play, as part of a robotics conference. Athletics aside, the dogs were created to help researchers study artificial intelligence and robotics. Kyrylov, a professor of interactive arts at SFU Surrey, will bring the team, known as SFUnleashed, to the Burnaby campus for demonstrations at SFU’s Open House. (applied sciences, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.)
Urban studies students to host Layton
Jack Layton, federal NDP leader and former political science and geography professor, will be on campus in Burnaby June 3 to conduct a seminar as a guest of graduate students in SFU's urban studies program. At 1:45 p.m. in room AQ 3181, he’ll give a public presentation on Canada's urban and environmental challenges and the kind of actions required to move Canada, and particularly Canada's cities, towards a sustainable future. Media opportunities will be available at 2:30 p.m., immediately after the presentation.
Puppets on parade
A collection of 600 rare Indonesian shadow puppets recently donated to SFU will be the focus of a blessing ceremony in SFU’s museum of archaeology and ethnology (in the northeast end of the academic quadrangle) at 12:30 p.m. At 1:15 p.m. there will be a procession of puppets and musical instruments to the school for the contemporary arts. Puppet plays, gamelan music and a dance of thanksgiving will take place until 3 p.m.
Worms in Space
They are worms with a mission - to help scientists determine the biological effects of radiation in space. SFU researchers are studying tiny (one millimeter long) space-traveling nematodes known as Caenohabditis elegans. PhD student Martin Jones will be at the SFU Open House to talk about the research. (room C9000 at 2:30 p.m.)
Communicating with insects
To see Melanie Hart grooming an almost six-inch-long giant African millipede is a fascinating—if somewhat unsettling—experience. To hear her communicating with a tiny peach twig borer is out of this world; it’s part of the vermin world experience. Hart is a member of SFU biology professor Gerhard Gries’ lab, which will be featuring the sights and sounds of the vermin world at the SFU Open House. (south AQ, all day). The lab will feature giant millipedes, stick insects and leaf insects. Hart’s research on how peach twig borers use sound to make love is being patented. Hart will teach kids of all ages how to communicate with insects using a tin can and comb.
Earth Sciences Rocks!
There'll be a lot of shifting and shaking going on in the SFU Open House's yellow zone (south academic quadrangle). That's where Earth Sciences department will highlight causes and results of earthquakes and volcanoes. SFU vulcanologist Glyn Williams-Jones has traveled the world studying volcanic activity. During the open house, he will make a one hour presentation at 2:30 pm in AQ 3154 called Living in the Ring of Fire. Afterwards, Williams-Jones will be available to talk about how worried Indonesians should be about a possible volcanic eruption on the heels of a devastating earthquake that has killed thousands of people.