ExperimentAI to be held at the Library Living Lab

01/10/2018

The Computer Vision Centre (CVC) and the UAB offer ExperimentAI, a citizen experimentation project focused on artificial intelligence at the Library Living Lab located at the Miquel Batllori Library in Volpelleres, Sant Cugat del Vallès. This initiative is focused on users and allows them to experiment with new interactions between technology and culture, normally inaccessible to the general public.
 
The project, funded by the Spanish Science and Technology Foundation(FECYT), is made up of a total of 18 sessions aimed at different audiences, professional groups and associations and taking place from October 2018 to March 2019. The different activities are related to one of the five areas of study at the Computer Vision Centre and artificial intelligence: Autonomous Mobility, Digital Humanities, Connected Health, Communication and Social Networks, and Education and Labour.
 
Participants can race against an autonomous car in a virtual world, teachers and parents can experiment with an innovative mathematics video game, associations can discover how machines learn to read handwritten documents and piano scores, and explore new uses for each technology. Medical professionals are also invited to discover the latest research into medical imaging. What is most important is that each activity will serve as a way for the general public to uncover the logic and bases of intelligent algorithms, with interactive demonstrations in each area.
 
The main objective of the project is to contribute to the democratisation of universal access and creation of knowledge for all people. For this reason, it is meant to be a space for co-creation among citizens, social actors and professional collectives who can together overcome the challenges posed by computer vision and artificial intelligence technologies. This will be done by using real applications and examples obtained from the Computer Vision Centre and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
 
ExperimentAI also seeks to boost literacy within the Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision area, a popular issue generating many uncertainties and mistrust. Each session will consist in assessing and introducing concepts such as Machine Learning, Deep Learning and neural networks, in a fun, educational and participative manner. It also aims to foster citizen participation in science and innovation processes, triggering science vocations, with an emphasis in the quality and excellence of our national research system, given that all experiments are based on work conducted by researchers at the Computer Vision Centre.
 
Although all activities are programmed to be held at the Volpelleres Library Living Lab, the project intends to repeat the experiments in other libraries of the BiblioLabs network and at scientific and technological innovation events.
 
The Library Living Lab

The “Library Living Lab/Laboratori Viu de La Biblioteca - Barcelona” (L3) initiative explores relationships among culture, technology and society focused on the new neighbourhood of Volpelleres in the town of Sant Cugat del Vallès (Barcelona), a place profoundly affected by the current economic situation.
 
The project was created by a coordinated consortium made up of the Computer Vision Centre, the UAB and the Town Council of Sant Cugat Vallès. Also participating are the Volpelleres Neighbours Association, the Provincial Council of Barcelona (Public Library Network), and it is also open to the participation of small and large companies.