Robots, A.I. and Society the Topic of Florida Tech Public Science Lecture August 28

By  //  August 17, 2015

PROFESSOR SCOTT TILLEY TO OFFER FREE PRESENTATION AUG. 28

Florida-tech-580-2
Florida Institute of Technology Professor Scott Tilley will present, “Robots, AI and Society” starting at 8 p.m. Friday, August 28, in the Olin Engineering Building Auditorium (EC118) as the fall edition of the university’s Public Science Lecture Series gets underway. (FIT Image)

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Florida Institute of Technology Professor Scott Tilley will present, “Robots, AI and Society” starting at 8 p.m. Friday, August 28, in the Olin Engineering Building Auditorium (EC118) as the fall edition of the university’s Public Science Lecture Series gets underway.

Tilley is director of computing education in the Department of Education and Interdisciplinary Studies in the College of Science at Florida Tech.

Robots are hardware constructs that can automatically perform a series of tasks under control of a computer program. Artificial intelligence, or AI, is the software that can change a robot from a simple machine into an autonomous agent. When put together, robots and AI may represent the next great leap for mankind.

The question, Tilley said, is a leap to where? Intelligent robots are already among us. As they evolve, how will they affect society? Will they be servants like Rosie from “The Jetsons”? Will they be killers like the Terminator? Or will they be something entirely new, like Ava from the movie “Ex Machina”?

Whatever the answer, thinking machines will change our future, and Tilley will talk about how that will happen.

VIDEO SPECIAL: Florida Tech Football Unveils New Adidas UniformsRelated Story:
VIDEO SPECIAL: Florida Tech Football Unveils New Adidas Uniforms

Following the lecture, at approximately 9 p.m. and weather permitting, Florida Tech’s Student Astronomical Society will open up the university’s 32-inch Ortega telescope for public viewing; three smaller telescopes will also be available.

People interested in hands-on astronomy, who have a telescope or who are thinking about getting one, can join the Melbourne Astronomical Society at 6:30 p.m. that day at their meeting in room 144 of the Olin Physical Sciences building.

Maps and directions for all these events can be found at CLICK HERE

The F.W. Olin Engineering Complex is located on West University Boulevard. For more information, call 321-674-7207.