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DTSTAMP:20260122T153755Z
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DESCRIPTION:IEEE UK and Ireland – RAS Chapter\n\nPrestigious Lecture Seri
 es\n\n[Link for More Information](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1d6Vtozd
 ref9zyCi08zu5utzPvpGZNBao/view?usp=sharing)\n\nFrom Code to Companions: th
 e Role of AI in Social Robotics\n\nSpeaker:  Prof. Tony Belpaeme\, Ghent U
 niversity\n\nTony Belpaeme is a Professor at Ghent University (Belgium) an
 d Senior Researcher at imec. At Ghent he leads a team studying cognitive r
 obotics and human-robot interaction. Starting from the premise that intell
 igence is rooted in social interaction\, Belpaeme and his research team tr
 y to further the science and technology behind artificial intelligence and
  social robotics. This results in a spectrum of results\, from theoretical
  insights to practical applications. He coordinated several large-scale Eu
 ropean projects studying how robots can support children while learning a 
 second language and how long-term human-robot interaction can be use in pa
 ediatric applications.\n\nAbstract:\nRobots are increasingly becoming our 
 social companions\, tutors\, and conversational partners. This talk explor
 es the challenges and opportunities at the intersection of artificial inte
 lligence and social robotics. Drawing on recent research\, I will examine 
 how large language models and multimodal AI are pushing the boundaries of 
 human-robot interaction\, enabling robots to interpret visual context\, ad
 apt their speech\, manage turn-taking\, and engage in open-ended dialogue.
  While discussing the practical hurdles that remain\, from the nuances of 
 child speech recognition to designing robots that alleviate loneliness in 
 vulnerable populations\, the talk reflects on the cognitive\, technical\, 
 and social dimensions of building interactive social machines.\n\nAbout th
 e Series:\nThis lecture is part of the IEEE UK &amp; Ireland RAS Chapter Prest
 igious Lecture Series\n\nOrganisers:\nIEEE UK &amp; Ireland RAS Chapter\n\nReg
 istration\nIEEE and non-IEEE Members are invited to register and participa
 te.\n\nAgenda: \nDate: 21th January 2026\nTime: 15:00 – 16:00 (London Ti
 me)\n\n-\n15:00 – 15:05 | Welcome &amp; Introduction – IEEE UK &amp; Ireland R
 AS Chapter\n\n-\n15:05 – 15:45 | From Code to Companions: the Role of AI
  in Social Robotics\nSpeaker: Prof. Tony Belpaeme\, Ghent University\n\n-\
 n15:45 – 16:00 | Live Q&amp;A Session with the Speaker and Closing Remarks &amp;
  Upcoming Events\n\nVirtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/531695
LOCATION:Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/531695
ORGANIZER:figueredo@ieee.org
SEQUENCE:28
SUMMARY:IEEE UK &amp; Ireland RAS Chapter –   From Code to Companions: the R
 ole of AI in Social Robotics\, Prof. Tony Belpaeme
URL;VALUE=URI:https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/531695
X-ALT-DESC:Description: &lt;br /&gt;&lt;p dir=&quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: center\;&quot;&gt;&lt;st
 rong&gt;IEEE UK and Ireland &amp;ndash\; RAS Chapter&amp;nbsp\;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;\n&lt;p dir=
 &quot;ltr&quot; style=&quot;text-align: center\;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Prestigious Lecture Series&lt;/str
 ong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;\n&lt;p data-start=&quot;823&quot; data-end=&quot;939&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;https://drive.google
 .com/file/d/1d6Vtozdref9zyCi08zu5utzPvpGZNBao/view?usp=sharing&quot;&gt;&lt;strong da
 ta-start=&quot;823&quot; data-end=&quot;835&quot;&gt;Link for More Information&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;\n
 &lt;p data-start=&quot;823&quot; data-end=&quot;939&quot;&gt;&lt;strong data-start=&quot;823&quot; data-end=&quot;835&quot;
 &gt;From Code to Companions: the Role of AI in Social Robotics&amp;nbsp\; &amp;nbsp\;
 &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;\n&lt;p data-start=&quot;823&quot; data-end=&quot;939&quot;&gt;&lt;strong data-start=&quot;823&quot;
  data-end=&quot;835&quot;&gt;Speaker:&amp;nbsp\; &amp;nbsp\;&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp\;&lt;strong&gt;Prof. Tony 
 Belpaeme\, Ghent University&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;\n&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: justify\;&quot;
  data-start=&quot;941&quot; data-end=&quot;1399&quot;&gt;Tony Belpaeme is a Professor at Ghent Un
 iversity (Belgium) and Senior Researcher at imec. At Ghent he leads a team
  studying cognitive robotics and human-robot interaction. Starting from th
 e premise that intelligence is rooted in social interaction\, Belpaeme and
  his research team try to further the science and technology behind artifi
 cial intelligence and social robotics. This results in a spectrum of resul
 ts\, from theoretical insights to practical applications. He coordinated s
 everal large-scale European projects studying how robots can support child
 ren while learning a second language and how long-term human-robot interac
 tion can be use in paediatric applications.&lt;/p&gt;\n&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: jus
 tify\;&quot; data-start=&quot;1401&quot; data-end=&quot;2103&quot;&gt;&lt;strong data-start=&quot;1401&quot; data-e
 nd=&quot;1414&quot;&gt;Abstract:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br data-start=&quot;1414&quot; data-end=&quot;1417&quot;&gt;Robots a
 re increasingly becoming our social companions\, tutors\, and conversation
 al partners. This talk explores the challenges and opportunities at the in
 tersection of artificial intelligence and social robotics. Drawing on rece
 nt research\, I will examine how large language models and multimodal AI a
 re pushing the boundaries of human-robot interaction\, enabling robots to 
 interpret visual context\, adapt their speech\, manage turn-taking\, and e
 ngage in open-ended dialogue. While discussing the practical hurdles that 
 remain\, from the nuances of child speech recognition to designing robots 
 that alleviate loneliness in vulnerable populations\, the talk reflects on
  the cognitive\, technical\, and social dimensions of building interactive
  social machines.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;\n&lt;p data-start=&quot;2643&quot; data-end=&quot;2841&quot;&gt;&lt;stron
 g data-start=&quot;2643&quot; data-end=&quot;2664&quot;&gt;About the Series:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br data-sta
 rt=&quot;2664&quot; data-end=&quot;2667&quot;&gt;This lecture is part of the IEEE UK &amp;amp\; Irela
 nd RAS Chapter Prestigious Lecture Series&lt;/p&gt;\n&lt;p data-start=&quot;2843&quot; data-e
 nd=&quot;2892&quot;&gt;&lt;strong data-start=&quot;2843&quot; data-end=&quot;2858&quot;&gt;Organisers:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;b
 r data-start=&quot;2858&quot; data-end=&quot;2861&quot;&gt;IEEE UK &amp;amp\; Ireland RAS Chapter&lt;/p&gt;
 \n&lt;p data-start=&quot;2894&quot; data-end=&quot;2981&quot;&gt;&lt;strong data-start=&quot;2894&quot; data-end=
 &quot;2910&quot;&gt;Registration&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br data-start=&quot;2910&quot; data-end=&quot;2913&quot;&gt;IEEE and
  non-IEEE Members are invited to register and participate.&lt;/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp\;
 &lt;/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp\;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Agenda: &lt;br /&gt;&lt;p data-start=&quot;172&quot; data-end
 =&quot;230&quot;&gt;&lt;strong data-start=&quot;172&quot; data-end=&quot;181&quot;&gt;Date:&lt;/strong&gt; 21th January
  2026&lt;br data-start=&quot;196&quot; data-end=&quot;199&quot;&gt;&lt;strong data-start=&quot;199&quot; data-end
 =&quot;208&quot;&gt;Time:&lt;/strong&gt; 15:00 &amp;ndash\; 16:00 (London Time)&lt;/p&gt;\n&lt;ul data-sta
 rt=&quot;232&quot; data-end=&quot;571&quot;&gt;\n&lt;li data-start=&quot;232&quot; data-end=&quot;310&quot;&gt;\n&lt;p data-st
 art=&quot;234&quot; data-end=&quot;310&quot;&gt;&lt;strong data-start=&quot;234&quot; data-end=&quot;251&quot;&gt;15:00 &amp;nd
 ash\; 15:05&lt;/strong&gt; | Welcome &amp;amp\; Introduction &amp;ndash\; IEEE UK &amp;amp\;
  Ireland RAS Chapter&lt;/p&gt;\n&lt;/li&gt;\n&lt;li data-start=&quot;311&quot; data-end=&quot;455&quot;&gt;\n&lt;p 
 data-start=&quot;313&quot; data-end=&quot;455&quot;&gt;&lt;strong data-start=&quot;313&quot; data-end=&quot;330&quot;&gt;15
 :05 &amp;ndash\; 15:45&lt;/strong&gt; | &amp;nbsp\;From Code to Companions: the Role of 
 AI in Social Robotics&lt;br data-start=&quot;387&quot; data-end=&quot;390&quot;&gt;&lt;strong data-star
 t=&quot;393&quot; data-end=&quot;405&quot;&gt;Speaker:&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;nbsp\;Prof. Tony Belpaeme\, Ghen
 t University&lt;/p&gt;\n&lt;/li&gt;\n&lt;li data-start=&quot;456&quot; data-end=&quot;513&quot;&gt;\n&lt;p data-sta
 rt=&quot;458&quot; data-end=&quot;513&quot;&gt;&lt;strong data-start=&quot;458&quot; data-end=&quot;475&quot;&gt;15:45 &amp;nda
 sh\; 16:00&lt;/strong&gt; | Live Q&amp;amp\;A Session with the Speaker and Closing R
 emarks &amp;amp\; Upcoming Events&lt;/p&gt;\n&lt;/li&gt;\n&lt;/ul&gt;
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