From MIT:
Technologists and senior business managers will make their annual trek to MIT next month for the October 25th and 26th Research and Development Conference, where MIT faculty will present some of the most exciting and notable research currently emanating from academia. The two-day conference presents a wide spectrum of basic research activities and potential breakthroughs by MIT faculty in such fields as communications, nanotechnology, energy, micro-technology, and brain/cognitive/bio sciences.
On day one inventor Ray Kurzweil, dubbed the “restless genius” by the Wall Street Journal, will talk about the rapid acceleration of technology in the 21st century, and its impact on business, the economy and society. Good things are on the way according to Kurzweil, who forecasts affordable human- level computers by 2020, and the software of human intelligence by 2029. The path from here to there will no doubt be influenced by the MIT Media Lab, which has taken a leading role in shaping today’s digital lifestyle for more than two decades. Frank Moss, the Lab’s new director, concurs with Kurzweil’s optimism, and in his talk, “The Best is Yet to Come: Seeds for Tomorrow’s Innovation,” Moss will discuss the Media Lab’s ongoing quest to enhance human capability through technology. In addition to hearing from technology visionaries during the general sessions, conference attendees will have the opportunity to drill down into the dazzling details of specific MIT research. Seven concurrent technology tracks will be offered, including: communications technology, carbon nanotubes, pushing the limits of detection, energy: simulation and modeling, portable power, brain/cognitive/bioscience, and microtechnolgy. The Research and Development Conference is part of the MIT Industrial Liaison Program’s Technology and the Corporation conference series. More information on the conference, including complete agenda and abstracts, can be found at https://ilp-www.mit.edu/events/RD2006. About the MIT Industrial Liaison Program
The Industrial Liaison Program (ILP) is industry’s chief gateway to MIT, enabling companies worldwide to harness MIT resources to address current challenges and to anticipate future needs. The ILP helps company managers monitor MIT research developments, identify and arrange expert consultations with MIT faculty, license MIT-owned intellectual property, and sponsor university research. The professional staff of Industrial Liaison Officers facilitates customized interactions for nearly 200 multinational companies. For more information please see the ILP Web site at https://ilp-www.mit.edu/.
