eMerge Americas 2024

University of Miami’s research and tech innovations on display.

By University of Miami

April 16^th, 2024

eMerge Americas—the premier tech conference held annually in Miami—returns for its 10th year to the Miami Beach Convention Center, April 18-19.

Business and technology leaders from around the globe will attend the annual conference, which attracts more than 20,000 attendees from 50 countries over the span of two days.

The University of Miami is proud to showcase several tech innovations from researchers and students, a UHealth – University of Miami Health System panel, “High-Touch is High-Tech in 21st Century Patient Experience,” and a Main Stage panel discussion, “Climate Challenges, Health Tech Solutions: Miami on the Front Lines,” moderated by University of Miami President Julio Frenk.

Day Two

The University of Miami’s booth at eMerge Americas 2024 buzzed with activity early Friday, as day 2 of the technology conference got underway at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Scientists and students are on hand to provide demonstrations to visitors on innovative research ranging from a modified rover equipped with a special sensor capable of detecting dangerous chemicals at structural fires to a high-tech 3D printer that fabricates highly advanced materials.

The Salty given out donuts at the University of Miami booth were a big hit with everyone that stopped by Friday. A group of Christopher Columbus High School students were all smiles eating their UM colored donuts.

Day 1

The eMerge Americas conference opened Thursday to thousands of tech-focused entrepreneurs, researchers, and consumers.

And the University of Miami booth, positioned toward the front of the expo floor, was attracting a flood of conference attendees, who lined up to try some Per’La coffee, founded by alumni Chris Nolte and Paul Massard. Others got a chance to try some of The Salty’s green and orange doughnuts, another business founded by University alumni, while perusing the seven innovation displays.

Students from Horace Mann Middle School enjoyed testing out the Mangrove City app developed through the UMverse, and especially enjoyed the ability to paddle through the water, as they donned the MetaQuest headsets to take a ride on paddleboards through a fictional city to learn about the importance of mangroves and the animals that live around them.

“More than any other University in South Florida, the University of Miami is becoming a spatial computing campus, and is integrating immersive technology as part of their classes. To build for immersive tech platforms, you need a different mindset that is often not taught today, where you combine software engineers, audio engineers or experts, and animators and writers, but UM is doing that through its UMverse.”

Hemispheric University Consortium Social Ideas Challenge

Emceed by University of Miami's provost, Willy Prado, the HUC Social Ideas Challenge (SIC) is a contest developed by the Hemispheric University Consortium and the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, which seeks to promote entrepreneurship with social impact through university communities. In this contest, the best ideas are sought at an early stage to help solve problems that affect our society. In this third edition, institutions participating include: University of Miami (USA), Universidad Andrés Bello (Chile), Universidad San Francisco de Quito (Ecuador), Universidad de la Américas de Puebla(México),, Universidad de Costa Rica (Costa Rica), Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (Rep. Dominicana), Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (Perú) and Pontificia Universidad Católica (Chile).

This year, the contest focused on socio-environmental challenges, within the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Thus, ideas are sought to improve people’s life quality and the environment that surrounds us.

3D printing in action

The College of Engineering had on display items produced at its Advanced Materials Innovation Lab, with professor of practice Charles "Chip" Tomonto and student Neyton Baltodano at the booth discussing their ongoing research. The researchers are developing a new method to create more durable carbon-reinforced materials, improving the strength and conductivity of carbon fibers.

HURRICANE ANALYSIS AND FORECAST SYSTEM (HAFS)

Learn more: University of Miami scientists helped develop newly operational NOAA hurricane forecast model

Safeguarding Firefighters: Advanced Air Monitoring to Combat Cancer Risks

Learn more: Device may help protect firefighters from harmful chemicals

Advanced Materials Innovation Lab: 3D Printing

Learn more: Advanced Materials Innovation Lab: 3D Printing

Mangrove City

Learn more: VR offers teens a glimpse into the future of coastal cities

Footnotes

Photography and design by Joshua Prezant. Main videos by Franco LaTona, David Paula, and Matthew Rembold. Additional photography by Mike Montero and Jenny Hudak. Additional video footage by Derryl Barnes & Daniel Menendez, and Joshua Prezant.