LIVING MACHINES 2025
The 14th International Conference on Biomimetics and Biohybrid Systems. July 15-18, 2025
Held in Sheffield, South Yorkshire at The University of Sheffield, United Kingdom.

Accepted papers will be published in Springer Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence.
Paper submission deadline: 30th March 2025
Workshop/Tutorial submission deadline: 30th March 2025
Contact email: LM25@sheffield.ac.uk

ABOUT
The development of future real-world technologies will depend strongly on our understanding and harnessing of the principles underlying living systems and the flow of communication signals between living and artificial systems.
Biomimetics is the development of novel technologies through the distillation of principles from the study of biological systems. The investigation of biomimetic systems can serve two complementary goals. First, a suitably designed and configured biomimetic artefact can be used to test theories about the natural system of interest. Second, biomimetic technologies can provide useful, elegant, and efficient solutions to unsolved challenges in science and engineering.
Biohybrid systems are formed by combining at least one biological component—an existing living system—and at least one artificial, newly-engineered component. By passing information in one or both directions, such a system forms a new hybrid bio- artificial entity. The conference's theme also encompasses biomimetic methods for manufacture, repair and recycling inspired by natural processes such as reproduction, digestion, morphogenesis and metamorphosis.

The following are some examples of "Living Machines" as featured at past conferences:

● Biomimetic robots and their component technologies (sensors, actuators, processors) that can intelligently interact with their environments.
● Biomimetic computers—neuromimetic emulations of the physiological basis for intelligent behaviour.
● Active biomimetic materials and structures that self-organise and self-repair or show other bio-inspired functions.
● Nature-inspired designs and manufacturing processes.
● Biohybrid brain-machine interfaces and neural implants.
● Artificial organs and body parts, including sensory organ-chip hybrids and intelligent prostheses.
● Organism-level biohybrids such as robot-animal or robot-human systems.

ACTIVITIES: PLENARIES, TALKS, WORKSHOPS, SOCIAL
The first conference day, 15th July 2025 is dedicated to workshops and tutorials. The main conference will then continue in the form of a three-day single-track oral presentations program, 16th - 18th July, with poster sessions and demos on 16th and 17th July at The Diamond in Sheffield, UK.

The conference program will include: 5 plenary lectures from leading international researchers in biomimetic and biohybrid systems; podium talks, poster sessions and demos from selected submitted full and short papers; and a moderated panel.

You will enjoy a welcome drinks reception at the Grade II listed building, The Cutlers’ Hall in Sheffield City Centre, and a banquet at the Kelham Island Museum, home of the mighty 12000 hp River Don steam engine, the most powerful working steam engine in Europe, awards, and more!
Additionally, you're invited to join us for a hike in the beautiful Peak District and the iconic Chatsworth House, on Saturday 19th July to enjoy the bio after the biomimetic.

CONFERENCE VENUE: The Diamond
The Diamond was built to replace the Grade II-listed Edwardian wing of the Jessop Hospital, taking over from the Sir Frederick Mappin Building as the new home of the Faculty of Engineering, the largest faculty at the university. The building takes its name from its unique facade, which comprises a cellular pattern of interconnected diamond shapes made of anodised aluminium, inspired by the form of diamond at a molecular level, over a frame of reinforced concrete and exterior glass cladding. It has nine lecture theatres, nineteen laboratories and more than thirty classrooms, linked by a central atrium area with a large study space and a café.

SUBMITTING TO LIVING MACHINES 2025
Online information and documents for submission will soon be available online. Stay tuned for our website launch!

FULL PAPERS and SHORT PAPERS
We invite both full papers and short papers in areas related to the conference themes. All contributions will be refereed, and accepted papers will appear in the Living Machines Proceedings, published in the Springer Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence.

Full papers (10 -12 pages, ~300 words/page) are invited from researchers at any stage in their career and should present significant findings and advances in biomimetic or biohybrid research. More preliminary work is better suited for shorter papers (4-6 pages, ~300 words/page). Full papers will be accepted for either podium talks (single track) or posters. Short papers will be accepted for posters only.
→ Deadline: 30th March 2025

LATE-BREAKING ABSTRACTS
In addition to the peer reviewed papers described above, we also invite short format late-breaking abstracts for consideration for poster presentations. Late-breaking abstracts should be no more than 2,300 characters, including punctuation but not spaces.
→ Deadline: 18th May 2025

WORKSHOPS and TUTORIALS
Active researchers in biomimetic and biohybrid systems are invited to propose topics for full or half-day workshops or tutorials on related themes to be held on Tuesday 15th July 2025 at the University of Sheffield, Pam Liversidge Building - home to Sheffield Robotics.
Proposals should be submitted by email by 30th March 2025 to the main LM25 contact email (LM25@sheffield.ac.uk) with subject “LM2025 workshop/tutorial proposal”, using the proforma available at the website.
→ Deadline: 30th March 2025

CONTRIBUTORS, EXHIBITORS and SPONSORS
Get involved, support our conference and community, and drive your team’s growth! Living Machines provides an ideal opportunity to be updated with the most recent advancements in robotics science and innovation, to network with young and experienced researchers, to strengthen your existing relationships, and to create new collaborations and business partnerships. Research groups and companies wishing to take part and support the conference in any way and gain the corresponding benefits by promoting themselves are encouraged to contact the organisers (LM25@sheffield.ac.uk) to discuss the terms of contribution, exhibition, or sponsorship, and the necessary arrangements.

Organisers
Conference Chair:
Tony Prescott, University of Sheffield, UK

Programme Chair(s):
Alejandro Jimenez-Rodriguez, Sheffield Hallam University, UK
Rafael Mestre, University of Southampton, UK

Workshop Chair:
Ned Barker, Kings College London, UK

Exhibition & Communication Chair:
Chaona Chen, University of Sheffield, UK

Treasurer/Secretary:
Louise Caffrey, University of Sheffield, UK

International Organiser:
Anna Mura, Convergent Science Network


INTERNATIONAL ADVISOR BOARD
Minoru Asada, Osaka University, JPN
Joseph Ayers, Northeastern University, US
Lucia Beccai, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Italy
Hillel Chiel, Case Western Reserve University, USA
Mark Cutkosky, Stanford University, USA
Marc Desmulliez, Heriot-Watt University, UK
Isabella Fiorello, University of Freiburg, DE
Jose Halloy, Université Paris Diderot, France
Alexander J. Hunt – Portland State University, USA
Koh Hosoda, Kyoto University, Japan
Holger Krapp, Imperial College London, UK
Kaushik Jayaram, University of Colorado Boulder, USA
Alejandro Jimenez-Rodriguez University of Sheffield, UK
Cecilia Laschi, National University of Singapore
Nathan Lepora, University of Bristol
Michael Mangan, Bettering Our Worlds Ltd
Uriel Martinez-Hernandez, University of Bath
Barbara Mazzolai, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Italy
Fabian Meder, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, IT
Rafael Mestre, University of Southampton, UK
Kenneth Moses, Case Western Reserve University, USA
Anna Mura, Convergent Science Network
William Nourse, Case Western Reserve University, USA
Tony Prescott, University of Sheffield, UK
Roger Quinn, Case Western Reserve University, USA
Masahiro Shimizu, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science & Technology, JPN
Thomas Speck, University of Freiburg, DE
Nicholas Szczecinski, West Virginia University, USA
Falk Tauber, University of Freiburg, DE
Matthew Tresch, Northwestern University, USA
Paul Verschure, Radboud University, NL
Vickie Webster-Wood, Carnegie Mellon University, US