Sophia awes at OCE Discovery 2018

The Discovery 2018 Conference wrapped up in Toronto, ON last May 1. The annual event organized by the Ontario Centres for Excellence (OCE) brought together technologists, innovators, entrepreneurs and enthusiasts from all over the world. Over 500 exhibitors and 3,000 participants attended the two-day event, which showcased Ontario as a hotbed of innovation and excellence.Featured at the conference this year were some of the latest developments in robotics, aerospace, autonomous vehicles and advanced mobility, as well as advanced applications in healthcare, clean-tech, wearable technology, artificial intelligence and augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR).The keynote speakers were global media sensation Sophia, a humanoid robot, and her creator, Dr David Hanson, who appeared via hologram, and Megan Smith, former chief technology officer of the United States who served under former President Barrack Obama. Sophia is the first robot to be granted “citizenship,” and in her first visit to Canada, she spoke about the need for collaboration between humans and machines to create a prosperous future for all and to allay the unfounded fears of a robot rebellion. Megan Smith shared her thoughts about how new developments in digital infrastructure such as 5G, AI and other technologies were allowing people to improve their quality of life.