LIVING MACHINES 2024
The 13th International Conference on Biomimetics and Biohybrid Systems. July 8-11, 2024
Held in Chicago, at the Field Museum and Northwestern University, USA.

Accepted papers will be published in Springer Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence
Paper submission deadline: extended April 22, 2024
Workshop/Tutorial submission deadline: April 22, 2024
Contact email: info-livingmachines2024@cmu.edu

ABOUT
The development of future real-world technologies will depend strongly on our understanding and harnessing of the principles underlying living systems and the flow of communication signals between living and artificial systems.
Biomimetics is the development of novel technologies through the distillation of principles from the study of biological systems. The investigation of biomimetic systems can serve two complementary goals. First, a suitably designed and configured biomimetic artifact can be used to test theories about the natural system of interest. Second, biomimetic technologies can provide useful, elegant and efficient solutions to unsolved challenges in science and engineering.
Biohybrid systems are formed by combining at least one biological component—an existing living system—and at least one artificial, newly-engineered component. By passing information in one or both directions, such a system forms a new hybrid bio-artificial entity. The conference's theme also encompasses biomimetic methods for manufacture, repair and recycling inspired by natural processes such as reproduction, digestion, morphogenesis and metamorphosis.
The following are some examples of "Living Machines" as featured at past conferences:
• Biomimetic robots and their component technologies (sensors, actuators, processors) that can intelligently interact with their environments.
• Biomimetic computers—neuromimetic emulations of the physiological basis for intelligent behavior.
• Active biomimetic materials and structures that self-organize and self-repair or show other bio-inspired functions.
• Nature-inspired designs and manufacturing processes.
• Biohybrid brain-machine interfaces and neural implants.
• Artificial organs and body parts, including sensory organ-chip hybrids and intelligent prostheses.
• Organism-level biohybrids such as robot-animal or robot-human systems.

ACTIVITIES
The first conference day July 8, 2024 is dedicated to workshops and tutorials. The main conference will then continue in the form of a three-day single-track oral presentations program, July 9 to July 11, at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
The conference program will include: 5 plenary lectures from leading international researchers in biomimetic and biohybrid systems; podium talks and poster sessions from selected submitted full and short papers; and a moderated panel. A reception, a banquet at the Field, awards, and more… are waiting for you.

PLENARY SPEAKERS
• John Rogers - Northwestern University
• Mitra Hartmann - Northwestern University
• Brian Taylor - Case Western Reserve University
• C.J. Heckman - Northwestern University

CONFERENCE VENUE
Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago IL, USA (https://www.fieldmuseum.org/)
The Field Museum is one of the largest museums of natural history in the world, hosting a collection of nearly 40 million specimens and artifacts. These include remnants of world cultures, interactive exhibits on natural conservation, and one of the biggest and most complete fossils of Tyrannosaurus rex.

The museum is located on the shore of Lake Michigan, a vibrant cultural area of Chicago near the Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium, Chicago Institute of Art, and the famous “Cloud Gate” sculpture, better known as the Bean.

SUBMITTING TO LIVING MACHINES 2024
Online information and documents for submission will soon be available online. Stay tuned for our website launch!

FULL PAPERS and SHORT PAPERS
We invite both full papers and short papers in areas related to the conference themes. All contributions will be refereed, and accepted papers will appear in the Living Machines Proceedings, published in the Springer Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence.
Full papers (12-15 pages, ~300 words/page) are invited from researchers at any stage in their career and should present significant findings and advances in biomimetic or biohybrid research. More preliminary work is better suited for shorter papers (6-11 pages, ~300 words/page). Full papers will be accepted for either podium talks (single track) or posters. Short papers will be accepted for posters only.
The guide for authors can be accessed here: https://www.springer.com/gp/computer-science/lncs/conference-proceedings-guidelines
→ Deadline: April 22, 2024

LATE-BREAKING ABSTRACTS
In addition to the peer reviewed papers described above, we also invite short format late-breaking abstracts for consideration for poster presentations. Late-breaking abstracts should be no more than 2,300 characters, including punctuation but not spaces. Abstracts will appear in the backmatter of the proceedings and not be indexed.
→ Deadline: May 5, 2024

WORKSHOPS and TUTORIALS
Active researchers in biomimetic and biohybrid systems are invited to propose topics for full or half-day workshops or tutorials on related themes to be held on July 8, 2024 at Northwestern University.
Proposals should be submitted by email by April 5, 2024 to the main LM24 contact email (LM24Chicago@northwestern.edu) with subject “LM2024 workshop/tutorial proposal”, using the proforma available at:
http://tinyurl.com/lm24workshop
→ Deadline: April 5, 2024

CONTRIBUTORS, EXHIBITORS, and SPONSORS
Get involved, support our conference and community, and drive your team’s growth!
Living Machines provides an ideal opportunity to be updated with the most recent advancements in robotics science and innovation, to network with young and experienced researchers, to strengthen your existing relationships and to create new collaborations and business partnerships.
Research groups and companies wishing to take part and support the conference in any way and gain the corresponding benefits by promoting themselves are encouraged to contact the organizers (LM24Chicago@northwestern.edu) to discuss the terms of contribution, exhibition, or sponsorship, and the necessary arrangements.