Events

Seminar: Recent advances in computer shogi and the Bonanza program

Date: February 3, 2012

Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm

Location: CSC 3-33, University of Alberta Campus

Shogi is one of the major variants of chess. The material balance is less important and the branching factor is greater than in Western chess. Because of these properties, creating a decent computer shogi player was a difficult challenge.

In this talk, two main features of the computer shogi program Bonanza, one of the strongest shogi programs, will be presented. One main feature is the optimization method used to train the full evaluation function with more than ten million parameters. The other is a game tree search method which is more brute-force and less selective than other popular approaches. We close with some comparisons of the algorithmic differences between chess programs and Bonanza.

For more information, click here.

Startup Weekend Calgary

Date: February 3-5, 2012

Location: AcceleratorYYC, 200, 1212 9th Ave SE

Startup Weekend is an intense 54 hour event which focuses on building a web or mobile application which could form the basis of a credible business over the course of a weekend. The weekend brings together people with different skillsets - primarily software developers, graphics designers and business people - to build applications and develop a commercial case around them.

For more information, or to register, visit the Startup site.

Deloitte TMT Predictions 2012, Calgary

Date: January 31, 2012

Time: 7:30 – 10:00 am

Place: Flames Central

In 2012, making the right decisions on technology, media and telecommunications issues will be the key differentiator for many businesses across Canadian industries. Whether you are a manufacturer, bank or retailer, having the right information around, social media, mobile payments, big data and tablets will help you understand the TMT trends that will affect your business and life.

For more information or to register, click here.

 

Deloitte TMT Predictions 2012, Edmonton

Date: January 27, 2012

Time: 7:30 – 9:30 am

Place: The Westin Hotel

In 2012, making the right decisions on technology, media and telecommunications issues will be the key differentiator for many businesses across Canadian industries. Whether you are a manufacturer, bank or retailer, having the right information around, social media, mobile payments, big data and tablets will help you understand the TMT trends that will affect your business and life.

For more information or to register, click here.

Startup Hackathon & Global Game Jam

Date: Jan 27-29, 2012.

Startup Edmonton and GameCamp Edmonton join forces to bring you Startup Hackathon and Global Game Jam - the city’s biggest-ever 54 hour marathon of coding, design, and lots of energy drinks. Make an app, make a game - just make something people want. Developers, designers, marketers, players, and startup enthusiasts come together to share ideas, form teams, build products and launch startups. Beginning with open mic pitches on Friday, attendees bring their best ideas and inspire others to join their team. Over the weekend, teams focus on customer development, validating their ideas, and culminating in a final demo night where teams show off their prototypes and receive valuable feedback.

For more information and to register, click here.

TED Talks @ Lunch

Date: January 25, 2012

Time: 12:00 - 1:00 pm

Location: Room 2-926, Enterprise Square, 10230 Jasper Ave.

The U of A Alumni Association and StartUp Edmonton bring the inspirational TED talks to downtown Edmonton. Bring your lunch and be inspired by some of the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers as they present the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Watch a selected TED Talk video presentation (selection is kept secret) then join the group in a discussion about the presentation. What better way to feed your mind over the lunch hour?

For more information or to register, click here.