From 2006 – 2018, Igniting Technology was a semi-annual panel presentation sponsored by intellectual property law firm Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP in partnership with CALIT2. The moderated presentations were offered in the spring and fall each year. They featured multiple presenters including researchers, industry partners, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists followed by a moderated question and answer session with the audience. The following archives the presentation recaps for what was largely regarded as CALIT2’s signature event program.
2018: SPRING| The Future of Machine Learning – FALL|California Electrification
05.24.18 The Future of Machine Learning
Machine Learning is currently one of the hottest topics in IT. That’s because of the unlimited ways it can have an impact: from fraud detection to self-driving cars, from identifying gold card customers to price prediction. CALIT2’s semiannual Igniting Technology program will feature industry and academic experts discussing machine learning hardware trends, from semiconductor chip design to novel approaches in system architecture. Emerging data engineering infrastructure is making machine learning easily accessible to scientists and program developers. Read more
11.29.18 California Electrification
Electrification experts in industry, government and academia shared their insights and research about the capabilities and potential of today’s electric technologies. Read more2017: SPRING |5G and the Factories of the Future – FALL | TechPortal Talks: Benefiting from the Pre-incubator Experience
06.07.17 5G and the Factories of the Future
While 5G isn’t expected to debut until 2020, an increasing number of companies are investing now to prepare for the new mobile wireless standard. 5G, which stands for fifth generation, will be significantly faster with lower latency, and will integrate networking, computing and storage resources into one programmable and unified infrastructure. This 5G innovation platform will enable emergent technologies, such as the Internet of Things, to become integral parts of our economy and lifestyle. With 5G, factories of the future will have more agile mobile-communication support, enabling greater efficiency and better energy productivity.The next-generation network will give advanced manufacturers the agility to move quickly to meet customer needs and stay ahead of the competition. Read more11.16.17 TechPortal Talks: Benefiting from the Pre-incubator Experience
According to conventional wisdom, nine out of 10 startups fail. The problem? It’s not true. The U.S. Small Business Administration says 66 percent of startups make it to two years and roughly half of new businesses survive five years of operation. But often, very early-stage startups are not ready to jump head first into the commercial marketplace. That’s why CALIT2 opened TechPortal, a pre-incubator to house and assist young startups still in the process of formulating business plans, developing prototypes, establishing an entrepreneurial team, soliciting investments and preparing for market readiness. TechPortal has been home to 16 startups, many of which have gained strong footholds in their respective markets. Others are currently navigating the pre-incubation channels, and some simply didn’t succeed. Read more2016 SPRING | Deep Machine Learning – FALL | Technologies for Healthy Aging
06.02.16 Deep Machine Learning Using massive computational power, deep machine learning can now recognize objects and translate speech in real time, taking a big step toward true artificial intelligence. In the past few years, companies including Google, Apple and IBM have been aggressively snapping up startup companies and researchers with deep-learning expertise. For consumers, that results in software better able to sort through photos, understand spoken commands and translate text from foreign languages. For scientists and industry, deep-learning computers can search for potential drug candidates, map real neural networks in the brain or predict the functions of proteins. Read more
11.10.16 Technologies for Healthy Aging According to a report by the Orange County Healthy Aging Initiative, the OC is home to over 3.1 million people and is the sixth most populous county in the nation. In 2016, 13.5% of the county’s population is 65 and older. This number is projected to nearly double by 2040, when almost one in four residents will be 65 or older. In collaboration with non-profit organizations, health care professionals and seniors, CALIT2 is working on several projects that will provide powerful personal tools to assist in healthy aging activities. Read more2015 SPRING | Smart Worker – FALL | Internet of Things
05.28.15 Smart Worker A leader in the Internet of Things movement, CALIT2, from the start, has developed and integrated technology into devices and applications for improving our daily lives. When President Obama launched the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, CALIT2 saw an opportunity to apply its IoT and people-centric approach, and launched a Sustainable Manufacturing Alliance for Research and Training (SMART). SMART’s vision: to employ technology to empower skilled workers with greater autonomy and decisionmaking responsibilities, resulting in more energy-efficient, productive and safer factories.
11.19.15 Internet of Things According to a report published earlier this year by Digi-Capital, virtual reality and augmented reality combined are expected to generate about $150 billion in revenue by the year 2020. Of that staggering sum, $120 billion is likely to come from sales of augmented reality – with the lion’s share comprised of hardware, commerce, data, voice services, and film and TV projects – and $30 billion from virtual reality, mainly from games and hardware. While both experiences use technology to provide stereo 3-D high-definition video and audio, VR is closed and fully immersive, while AR is open and partly immersive – you can see through and around it. Where VR puts users inside virtual worlds, AR puts virtual things into users’ real worlds. Read more
2014 SPRING | GO-Biz UC Innovation – FALL | Internet of Things
05.29.14 GO-Biz UC Innovation Calit2 partnered with Gov. Jerry Brown’s GO-Biz UC Innovation Series to present Ignite your Innovation. The event featured a wide range of programs, from UCI-based to regional and state levels, which nourish a new ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation. Highlighted were: UCI’s recent centralization of efforts to accelerate technology transfer and research commercialization; California’s effort to foster the state’s efforts at innovation and competition; Orange County’s iHub role; and local launchpads, incubators, funding streams and other resources. Read more
11.13.14 Internet of Things Six experts in the Internet of Things shared the ways in which the emerging paradigm — where almost all objects and systems have IP addresses — is poised to change the world once again. Read more
2013 SPRING | From Pitch to Rich – FALL | Proof-of-Concept Services
06.06.13 From Pitch to Rich Calit2 is on a quest to advance the entrepreneurial spirit by helping to turn great ideas into successful companies. This event featured five experts from all corners of the startup arena who shared their know-how. The audience learned the difference between innovators and entrepreneurs and how to transform ideas into marketable concepts, and heard from seasoned entrepreneurs who are leading UCI startups, an expert who advises new companies, and an investor who shared what constitutes a successful pitch. Read more
11.14.13 Proof-of-Concept Services For more than 10 years, Calit2 has been a campus hub for multidisciplinary research projects. In order to bring these “value-added” collaborations to the next level, the institute announces expanded services for academic and industry partners working in the areas of healthcare, energy, the environment and culture. The audience learned about new services offered, including software development and cross-platform applications; electronics system development and fabrication; micro-system integration, micro sensors and actuators, and rigid/flexible printed circuits; and IT services, including server access, software-hardware system integration, and system maintenance and upgrades. Read more
2012 SPRING | Digitized: Life Transformed and Venture Science – FALL | Crossing Disciplines, Creating Innovation
05.22.2012 Digitized: Life Transformed and Venture Science Full digital immersion is fast becoming the cultural norm. Five experts discussed the implications on a wide range of societal areas, including business, culture, education, financial services and healthcare. In addition, guests viewed the latest interactive visualization technology in the Calit2 Visualization Lab. Read more
12.07.12 Crossing Disciplines, Creating Innovation Faculty research on university campuses traditionally occurs within the silos of individual academic departments. Six presenters shared the benefits and rewards that can be reaped through interdisciplinary collaboration, in both academic research and corporate product development. Read more
2011: SPRING | eHealth Collaboratory – FALL | Micro/nanotechnology
06.02.2011 CALIT2’s new eHealth Collaboratory, located on the third floor of the CALIT2 Building, gives researchers from multiple disciplines a place to share ideas, learn from each other and demonstrate their healthcare prototypes. In June, the debut of the institute’s latest multidisciplinary center kicked off the sixth year of CALIT2’s successful Igniting Technology series. The Collaboratory will respond to demands of healthcare technology users, including patients and families, physicians, nurses and other providers, community organizations and insurance companies. It will give researchers a venue for developing, demonstrating and deploying technology solutions for applications in health and wellness through collaborative multidisciplinary research. Read more
11.10.2011 No longer the stuff of science fiction, micro/nanotechnology is rapidly becoming the face of innovation, poised to affect every aspect of daily life. Lightweight materials, advanced diagnostics, targeted drug delivery, machines traveling through the body to repair damaged cells and organs — these real-life applications are being advanced by remarkable research at UCI. Panelists discussed why nanotechnology seeks to imitate biological functions, how scientists are building materials invisible to the human eye, and the latest tools and clean room capabilities. In addition, guests viewed microscopic images of nanoscale crystals, tube and wires, as well as MEMS prototypes that are transforming healthcare. Read more
2010: SPRING | TechPortal – FALL | Energy Empowerment
05.20.2010 TechPortal: Your gateway to commercial viability
CALIT2 unveil TechPortal, a new technology business incubator located in the institute’s building at UC Irvine. TechPortal is a one-stop shop for fledgling companies; the nearly 1,500-square-foot incubator offers affordable space, access to facilities and services, business programs, expertise and mentoring for up to eight companies at a time. TechPortal will accelerate the transfer of research and ideas into the marketplace by serving as a gateway to commercial viability for startup companies. Read more11.20.2010 Energy Empowerment: Get smart about efficiency
Plug-in vehicles, electronic devices with their own chargers, ever-more sophisticated home entertainment centers… we are plugging into a dated infrastructure that cannot continue to handle the load. We are using more and more energy – as much as 40 percent more in the next 20 years. California and the nation are looking to smart technologies to vastly increase efficiency in energy distribution and consumption. Read more2009: SPRING | Clean Energy Challenge – FALL | Network Generation
05.14.09 Clean Energy Challenge: Illuminating environmentally progressive technologies
Fossil fuels provide most of our energy, at the expense of the environment and self-reliance. By producing clean and renewable alternatives through advanced technologies, America can achieve energy independence and reap long-term environmental benefits. Rapid growth is expected in sectors such as solar, wind, fuel cells and biomass, as transformational scientific breakthroughs unfold. Read more11.19.09 Network Generation Transforming the global infrastructure to address evolving demands, Facebook, Twitter, email, text messages, instant online information, multimedia downloads… more and more the world’s population is connected 24/7. The Internet was released to the public in the 1980s, enabling commercial advances in hardware and software that led to an explosion of users that continues to mushroom. As new devices and applications proliferate, the networks connecting them must further develop in order to provide reliability, security, privacy and mobility to an increasingly connected population. Read more
2008: SPRING | Bionic Human – FALL | H2Ology
05.15.08 Bionic Human: Fine-tuning the body with cyber-devices Progress in information technology is fueling enormous strides in biomedical research. UC Irvine scientists are at the forefront, developing systems and devices that will provide mankind with a healthier, smarter, nimbler and safer future. Participants in this event learned about next-generation sensors impacting prosthetic capabilities; experienced “XSense”; glimpsed the future of implantable devices; and viewed IT-powered tools of tomorrow that transform human potential. Read more
11.18.08 H2Ology: Tapping into technology to solve water demands Everyone needs clean water and it’s often taken for granted. The average American household uses 100 to 176 gallons of water each day. while the average family in developing countries uses five gallons a day. We generally don’t consider where it comes from, how it gets to us or what it costs. California’s governor declared a statewide drought recently and there is discussion of mandated rationing if conditions don’t improve. Calit2 researchers are working to avert the looming crisis. Read more
2007: SPRING | Technologies for Disaster Preparedness – SUMMER | Web 3.0 – FALL | Green-IT
03.01.07 One Step Ahead of the Crisis: Innovative technology solutions for disaster preparedness
Disaster preparedness requires seamless communication for decision-makers to stay one step ahead of the crisis. Calit2 Irvine division has built a test bed that allows industry partners and crisis responders to refine their software and hardware technologies. Read more06.21.07 Web 3.0 It’s the game web. It’s the ubiquitous 3D browser. It’s the next major transformation of the Internet experience. It’s Web 3.0. In this event, participants learned how games and virtual worlds will drive the future world wide web. They experienced 3D virtual social environments. Participants realized real-world economic and educational applications, and discovered emerging opportunities for business-university collaboration. Read more
11.13.07 Green IT: Delivering Clean-Tech Solutions Clean-tech investing is at an all-time high and is expected to flourish in a range of sectors, including renewable and distributed energy, advanced materials, transportation, and water purification and management. Calit2 is working on 21st century IT solutions for a greener, cleaner infrastructure. Read more
2006: SPRING | Computational Biology – FALL | Telemedicine
04.06.06 Computational Biology: Innovative Research Ignites Successful Startup Computational biology employs mathematics, statistics, informatics and computer science to solve biological problems. By designing and building novel biological materials and systems, the multidisciplinary approach accelerates the deployment of vaccines, novel drugs and therapies. The panelists discuss their research, its future implications and the virtual incubator model used to form successful startup CODA Genomics Inc. Read more
09.14.06 Telemedicine Comes of Age The delivery of healthcare services at a distance is likely to change as fast as the technology it utilizes. The latest Internet-based technologies are expanding the boundaries of science and medicine. This event provided a close-up look at the emerging field that merges medical research and practice with Web 2.0, robotics and telecommunications. The panel of experts included the CEO of a medical robotics company who joined the three UCI researchers by remote presence from Santa Barbara. He was channeled by RP-7, a company designed robot (pictured right) from which his face and voice emanated. Read more
