Founded in 2005, FIRST Team 1708, known as Amp'd Robotics, emerged as a pioneering force in the Greater Pittsburgh area's competitive robotics landscape. Established with the vision of inspiring a passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) among local students, Amp'd Robotics has consistently demonstrated a commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration. Over the years, the team has actively participated in the FIRST Robotics Competition, FIRST Tech Challenge and FIRST Lego League, engaging students in hands-on robotics challenges that not only enhance technical skills but also instill crucial values such as teamwork, leadership, and gracious professionalism. Amp'd Robotics has become synonymous with excellence, achieving success both on and off the competition field, and leaving an indelible mark on the local STEM education community. Team 1708, Amp'd Robotics, has been on an inspiring journey with the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) programs, marking over a decade of impactful participation. Since its inception, the team has become a dynamic force, not only in robotics competitions but also in fostering a deep-seated commitment to STEM education, community engagement, and inclusivity. This meeting will discuss the metrics of the program; from the schools we encompass to the three different levels of programs we offer along with the skills we are able to teach the students that go through the program. https://www.facebook.com/Team1708AmpdRobotics/ Co-sponsored by: Pittsburrgh Section Computer Society Speaker(s): Derek Price, Jason Mols, Agenda: 6:00 PM Light dinner 6:30 PM Presentation and Tour 8:00 PM Adjourn 1960 Eden Park Blvd, McKeesport, Pennsylvania, United States, 15132

In this presentation we highlight three emerging technologies that appear to be truly disruptive; that is, they are likely to have such a large impact that they will change the way theoreticians and practitioners think about and accomplish manufacturing and process control. These technologies are Economic Model Predictive Control (EMPC), Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL), and Open Process Automation (OPA). Economic MPC (EMPC) is a relatively new technology that combines economic optimization with Model Predictive Control. This unification of closed-loop scheduling, economic optimization, and dynamic control provides a new platform for viewing and analyzing manufacturing problems. Reinforcement Learning (RL) is a Machine Learning (ML) technology in which a computer agent learns, through trial and error, the best way to accomplish a particular task. It is likely that DRL will take over some of the more mundane tasks involved in managing manufacturing systems, such as tuning of PID controllers, mitigating disturbances, and recovering from process upsets. Open Process Automation (OPA) will allow manufacturers, whose innovations have been constrained for decades by the limitations of closed, proprietary systems, to experience the benefits of open, interoperable, resilient, secure-by-design automation systems. This will be made possible by the development of the consensus-based Open Process Automation Standard (O-PAS) by the Open Process Automation Forum (OPAF). Speaker(s): Dr. Badgwell, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/402236