AN international
competition to find the world's most life-like robot
is to take place in Ireland for the first time.
The Loebner Prize in Artificial Intelligence (AI)
2013 will be hosted by the University of Ulster's
Magee Campus in Derry on September 14 in
collaboration with UCD, DCU and other international
colleges.
The global competition has been running for 22 years
and has previously been held at venues including
Carnegie Hall in New York and London's Science
Museum.
Its primary aim is to find the best simulated
conversation that can fool the judges into thinking
it is human. The test was first posed in the 1950s
by British mathematician, Alan Turing, who asked:
"Can machines think?'"
The competition, boasting cash prizes as well as
gold, silver and bronze medals, is sponsored by
American philanthropist, Dr Hugh Loebner, who
praised the University of Ulster's strides in the
field of Artificial Intelligence.
“Ulster's research strengths in AI and new
developments in the use of AI combined with creative
arts and technologies in serious computer games,
online learning and emotion modelling makes it an
ideal host for Loebner Prize 2013," he said.
Professor Paul McKevitt of the UU’s Computer Science
Research Institute (CSRI) said the Magee campus was
proud to host the event as part of the City of
Culture’s CultureTECH Festival.
A webcast of the competition will be streamed live
from the event by the University of Exeter's
Computer Science Department. |
