IPC APEX EXPO to include 2 intriguing keynote sessions.

Press Release Summary:



According to Ray Kurzweil, author, inventor, entrepreneur, and futurist, reverse engineering of human brain will be completed in next 20 years and humans will merge with technology to take advantage of technological intelligence. Kurzweil's keynote, "The Accelerating Future of Electronics and Information," will take place on March 31 at 8:30 am. On April 2 at 2:30 pm, Discovery Channel's Les Stroud will talk about raw intelligence needed for survival in the wild.



Original Press Release:



Reality Under Scrutiny at IPC APEX EXPO(TM) Keynote Sessions



BANNOCKBURN, Ill., USA, January 8, 2009 - Are you smarter than a fifth grader? How about your toaster? By 2020, IPC APEX EXPO keynoter Ray Kurzweil suggests that the battle may be pretty well lost for the human brain. Noted author, inventor, entrepreneur and futurist, Kurzweil predicts that the reverse engineering of the brain will be completed in the next 20 years and that humans will merge with technology to take advantage of the stunning capabilities of technological intelligence. Kurzweil's intriguing keynote, "The Accelerating Future of Electronics and Information," will take place on the first exhibition day of IPC APEX EXPO in Las Vegas, March 31 at 8:30 am.

Called "the restless genius" by the Wall Street Journal and "the ultimate thinking machine" by Forbes, Kurzweil forecasts that nonbiological intelligence will be a billion times more powerful than all of the biological intelligence possessed by humanity by 2040. Significant changes will take place with the deep integration of man and machine.

Kurzweil also predicts that nanotechnology will allow "almost anything" to be built at extremely low cost, with a huge impact on transportation and energy. In 20 years, he believes that 100 percent of our energy needs will be met with nanoengineered solar panels and fuel cells. Kurzweil notes that it will only take three percent of one percent of the sunlight that reaches earth to satisfy our energy needs because of nanotechnology capabilities.

While Kurzweil's vision may seem extreme, he has the credentials to back it up. He was the principal developer of the first omni-font optical character recognition, the first print-to-speech reading machine for the blind, the first CCD flat-bed scanner and the first text-to-speech synthesizer. He has successfully founded and developed nine market leading businesses in areas such as virtual reality, cybernetic art and artificial intelligence. Ray's Web site, KurzweilAI.net, is a leading resource on artificial intelligence. Four of Ray's books have been national best-sellers.

While Kurzweil's discussion will reach the heights of speculation on the boundaries of human mental capabilities, the week will end with intelligence of a different kind. On April 2 at 2:30 pm, Discovery Channel's Les Stroud will talk about the raw intelligence needed for survival in the wild.

Stroud, star of the highly acclaimed hit TV series, Survivorman, is the only producer in the history of television to produce an internationally broadcast series entirely written, videotaped and hosted by one person. On Survivorman, Stroud shows his ability to survive in the wild for one week, entirely alone, depending on his wits and stamina for food, shelter, water and protection from climate and predators.

Stroud's speech on his adventures, the craft of filmmaking and his ability to combine his three life passions; outdoor adventure, music and film, into a successful career, will make for a memorable close to an exciting week at IPC APEX EXPO.

Both keynote sessions are free to anyone registered for IPC APEX EXPO. All events take place at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Convention Center in Las Vegas. For more information, visit www.IPCAPEXEXPO.org.

About IPC

IPC (www.IPC.org) is a global trade association based in Bannockburn, Ill., dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its 2,700 member companies which represent all facets of the electronics industry, including design, printed board manufacturing, electronics assembly and test. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of an estimated $1.5 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices in Taos, N.M.; Arlington, Va.; Garden Grove, Calif.; Stockholm, Sweden; and Shanghai and Shenzhen, China.

Contact:

Anna Garrido, IPC Director of Marketing and Communications

+1 847-597-2804

AnnaGarrido@ipc.org

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