Workshop announcement "What can Synthetic Biology offer to Artificial Intelligence? Perspectives in the Bio-Chem-ICT and other scenarios" a satellite workshop of the 12th European Conference on Artificial Life (ECAL 2013, http://www.dmi.unict.it/ecal2013/) Taormina, September 6th 2013 (2.30 pm - 6.30 pm) Organized by Luisa Damiano (University of Bergamo) Pasquale Stano (University of Roma 3) Yutetsu Kuruma (University of Tokyo) Call for papers is open! Deadline: August 15, 2013 Website http://www.plluisi.org/ecal2013/SB-AI_satellite_ecal2013.htm Traditionally Artificial Intelligence (AI) research, broadly conceived as the study of intelligence through the construction of artificial models of natural cognitive systems, has been developed in the context of computer science and robotics. Today the scientific and technical advancements of biological sciences, leading to the emergence of Synthetic Biology (SB) conceived as the chemical synthesis of biological parts/systems/processes, allow the scientific community to extend AI research within the field of experimental biology. The workshop aims at offering an interdisciplinary forum in which nascent programs involving cooperation between SB and AI in the exploration of biological and cognitive processes can be discussed in their groundings, their procedures, their possibilities and their limits, as well as enriched through scientific exchange of ideas. The main focus will be on current and possible applications in AI research of the emerging bio-chemical based Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), founded on the convergence of biological, chemical, physical approaches, often in combination with progresses in miniaturization like micro-fluidic devices and Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS). But the workshop is interested also in introducing and discussing other actual and possible approaches and research programs which involve SB in AI research. Most of the participants will have a SB, AI, and/or bio-chem-ICT background, or come from scientific disciplines dealing with theoretical, epistemological and/or experimental issues related to the synthetic study of life and cognition. Our goal is to stimulate the interaction between applied research and theoretical/epistemological reflections, and to promote a front line in SB and AI that focuses on (some of) these questions, and related ones: 1) Can intelligence be studied through the construction and exploration of synthetic biological systems and processes? In which conditions? More specifically: What SB, and in particular its bio-chem-ICT tools and issues, can offer to AI? 2) Which are the groundings, procedures, possibilities, limits, expected results, and impacts of current and possible research programs involving SB in AI research? How AI will advance by encompassing SB and bio-chem-ICT approaches? 3) Can we nowadays plan concrete collaborations between computer science, robotics and SB in the scientific study natural forms of intelligence? How? 4) Are the emerging directions of research in AI (such as embodied AI, enactive AI, soft robotics, ý) good candiddate to cooperate with SB in the exploration of natural forms of cognition? Can SB contribute to the development of artificial forms of cognition (artificial cognitive systems which do not model natural cognitive systems)? The workshop intends to bring together researchers interested in investigating one or more of these aspects of the (possible/actual) relationships between SB and AI. The aim is developing an interdisciplinary dialogue able to promote the reflected involvement of SB in AI, and to create a interdisciplinary community concretely developing research programs based on the cooperation of SB and AI. Organized by Luisa Damiano (University of Bergamo) [log in to unmask] Pasquale Stano (University of Roma Tre) [log in to unmask] Yutetsu Kuruma (University of Tokyo) [log in to unmask]