Latest News
Now Available! Ethically Aligned Design, First Edition!
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IEEE and IEEE Standards Association have just launched a groundbreaking report to take ethical implementation of autonomous and intelligent systems (A/IS) worldwide from principles to practice! The First Edition of this important work "Ethically Aligned Design: A Vision for Prioritizing Human Well-being with Autonomous and Intelligent Systems" is available NOW!
The Chair of this initiative is Raja Chatila, Past President of the IEEE Robotics & Automation Society (RAS). Many other RAS members served as sub group Chairs, individual contributors and subject matter experts. Thanks to their hard work and persistance, the First Edition has become a reality! CONGRATULATIONS to ALL involved!
If you are not already involved in The IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems, we invite you to join the open community of over 2,000 global experts focused on cutting edge ethical and values-driven issues in autonomous and intelligent systems and in moving principles to practical application. Join to receive our regular newsletter, announcements, and to get an invitation into our private EAD community.
The Mission and Results of The IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems is to ensure every stakeholder involved in the design and development of autonomous and intelligent systems is educated, trained, and empowered to prioritize ethical considerations so that these technologies are advanced for the benefit of humanity.
To advance toward this goal, The IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems brought together more than a thousand participants from six continents who are thought leaders from academia, industry, civil society, policy, and government in the related technical and humanistic disciplines to identify and find consensus on timely issues surrounding autonomous and intelligent systems.
By “stakeholder” we mean anyone involved in the research, design, manufacture, or messaging around intelligent and autonomous systems—including universities, organizations, governments, and corporations—all of which are making these technologies a reality for society.
Please visit the following more information about this publication, to request the First Edition, and to get involved in future work:
Communication Workshops to be held at ICRA 2019!
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New this year! In an effort to assist our Members and conference Attendees with the challenges of communicating to the non-engineering community, a series of courses will be offered at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics & Automation (ICRA 2019) 20-24 May 2019 in Montreal, Canada. This collaboration with the IEEE Professional Communications Society is sure to be a valuable experience for all participants. While initially created to benefit our Students and Young Professionals, this course would benefit participants in all stages of their careers.
All events are FREE for ICRA registrants. Please see the course descriptions below and sign up today!
Lunch and Learn Keynote
Tuesday, 21 May 2019 in room 519
12:15-13:30
“How to Talk to the Public about Science and Technology: Learning from Failure”
Starting with a few brief but notable cases of science communication failures, we will work towards some key challenges for communicating effectively with the public. Through these failures, we examine some of the assumptions about the non-expert audience implied by the Deficit Model – a prominent but outdated and problematic model of scientific communication. Specifically, we interrogate the idea that the “public” is homogenous, with similar goals, background knowledge, and purposes for learning about technology. Acknowledging this, we introduce the idea of “Framing Science,” a concept that came to prominence in a 2007 Science editorial by Chris Mooney and Matthew Nisbet. They argue that in order to communicate effectively with the public, scientists and researchers need to do more than learn techniques for “dumbing-down” or “translating" their research while maintaining accuracy: they need to find ways to make complex topics more personally relevant. Without these connections, nonexpert audiences will not be compelled to learn about and understand technical information.
Returning to these case studies, we lay out key strategies for:
(1) understanding an audience’s needs and background;
(2) finding relevant approaches to engage non-experts; and finally,
(3) deploying the right rhetorical techniques (eg. narrative, metaphor, etc.) to communicate within that framework.
We will close by demonstrating how these techniques parallel those used by science journalists, and invite the audience to our workshops, where we’ll help them craft key messages about their own work.
**Registration is NOT required for this Lunch & Learn, however seating is limited. Mark your calendars to attend this important session!
**Lunch will be available in room 519 at the start of the session.
Communications Workshop:
“Theory to Action: Crafting Messages for the Public about your own Research”
Presenters: Lydia Wilkinson and Alan Chong
This 3 hour workshop follows up on the Lunch and Learn keynote with a brief review of the concepts, followed by a set of activities designed to get attendees thinking and developing a message about their own research for the public in multiple ways.
Class size will be limited to 35 registrants for each class.
Register today for ONE of the following classes (same workshop offered 4 different times) by completing the online Registration Form:
https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/197e3c778bd4400aab8e2004360b1fc9
Thursday, 23 May from 9:00-12:30 in room 523
Thursday, 23 May from 13:30-17:00 in room 523
Friday, 24 May from 9:00-12:30 in room 522a
Friday, 24 May from 13:30-17:00 in room 523
1. Imagining an Audience and Framing their Work: (30 minutes)
We first ask attendees to imagine the characteristics of an imagined audience, focusing on why they would want to learn about the topic at hand and what they would need to know. For this imagined audience, we ask that they develop a brief message about their research (1-2 paragraphs). With a partner, we ask them to share the message and, importantly, the rationale behind their message, and discuss the success/failure of their message. This activity will highlight the importance of crafting a message for a specific audience, and will provide attendees with strategies to analyze their audience in future communication.
2. Developing a “Pitch”: (60 minutes)
Using the feedback from the previous exercise as a starting point, we will ask attendees to reconfigure their message for an audience who might support or invest in their research. We will use the genre of the “elevator pitch” to highlight rhetorical strategies to persuade a non-expert audience. We will ask individuals to develop a short one-minute pitch, deliver that pitch within a small group, and critique that pitch for others. This activity will emphasize the value of concision and persuasion in delivering a message to non-experts, and will provide attendees with a simple tool to hone their message at home.
3. Analogy / Metaphor: (20 minutes)
Having explained the rhetorical structure, components, and function of analogy, we will ask participants to develop an analogy explaining some aspect of their work, including identifying the source and target, and grounds and tension. In small groups, they’ll share and critique their analogies and reflect on their efficacy in communicating to non-expert audiences. This activity will provide participants with an understanding of how rhetorical tools can be used to achieve certain communication goals, laying a foundation for their use in their communicative practice.
4. Employing a Journalistic Framework: (60 Minutes)
In the final activity, we will ask participants to imagine themselves as journalists writing about their own research. We explain the PINTS (Peg-Interesting-Novel-Tension-Significance) model, and ask groups of four to choose their own research (or a predetermined paper from the Robotics and Automation) field, and write a short article that satisfies PINTS requirements for a specific publication (and its implied audience and purpose). Sharing the articles will provide us with an opportunity to examine strategies to engage and inform non-expert audiences, while maintaining scientific accuracy.
At the end of this workshop, participants should have a set of communication artifacts – in varying stages of completion – that have allowed them to: (1) engage with their own research and (2) experiment with multiple techniques for communicating to non-experts. With these experiences in hand, we hope they leave with a better understanding of key issues and strategies for communicating with non-experts in multiple modes and contexts.
Course Presenters
Lydia Wilkinson is a Lecturer in the Engineering Communication Program (ECP) in the Institute for Studies in Transdisciplinary Engineering Education and Practice (ISTEP) at the University of Toronto. She coordinates communication in Chemical Engineering at the University of Toronto, where she supports student success by connecting classroom learning to current engineering projects and their future workplace. She teaches communication at the graduate level through a research course in Chemical Engineering, as well as an optional seminar in career options for PhDs. Lydia’s research investigates interdisciplinary skills transfer with a specific focus on humanities integration for engineers.
Alan Chong is an Associate Professor, Teaching in the Engineering Communication Program (ECP) in the Institute for Studies in Transdisciplinary Engineering Education and Practice (ISTEP) at the University of Toronto. He coordinates communication instruction in Civil and Mineral Engineering, helping students develop their communication skills within various academic and industrial settings. He also teaches proposal and thesis writing to undergraduate and graduate students. Alan’s research interest involves developing opportunities for civic engagement among undergraduate engineering students and in Science Communication pedagogy, particularly around the development of case studies; he also serves as the IEEE Professional Communication Society’s Digital Content Curator.
RAS Conference Organizers Workshop at ICRA 2019
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Anyone who is involved in organizing an IEEE or RAS conference, large or small, or is thinking about organizing a conference is encouraged to attend. Get answers to your questions about the organization, requirements, logistics and finances of conferences, both large and small. Speak with the experts for advice on how to make sure your conference is executed flawlessly!
RAS will be presenting a FREE Conference Organizers Workshop during the IEEE International Conference on Robotics & Automation (ICRA 20199). The workshop will take place on Tuesday, 21 May from 13:30-16:30 in room 522a at the Palais des congrès de Montréal, Montreal, Canada.
Preliminary Agenda
1. Welcome and Opening Remarks – Torsten Kroeger
2. Conference Committee Roles and Responsibilities – Torsten Kroeger/ Karinne Ramirez Amaro
3. Getting Started (Requesting Sponsorship & Conference Application) – Helge Wurdemann
4. Conference Publications/Video Capture – Zhidong Wang
5. Managing a Technical Program – Seth Hutchinson
6. Conference Finance (Budgeting through Conference Closing) – Venkat Krovi/ Helge Wurdemann
7. Event Logistics Planning and Execution – Kelly Smith / Torsten Kroeger
8. Working with IEEE Meetings, Conferences & Events – Kelly Smith
Space is limited, so we encourage you to register as soon as your availability is confirmed.
Registration
Please register for this FREE workshop online:
https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/2d9e465601774246a8826c4f0a823d3c
To register by email or ask questions, please contact: RAS@ieee.org
Call for Proposals - IEEE RAS-SIGHT
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The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society - Special Interest Group on Humanitarian Technology (RAS-SIGHT) is engaging the academic and non-academic community to propose viable solutions in R&A to address relevant world problems through several initiatives that include competitions, funding impactful projects, and establishment of collaboration networks with academia, industry, and governments. The mission of RAS-SIGHT is the application of robotics and automation
technologies for promoting humanitarian causes around the globe, and to leverage existing and emerging technologies for the benefit of humanity in under-served, under-developed areas in collaboration with existing global communities and organizations.
RAS-SIGHT’s activities broadly fall under Challenges and Projects. While Challenges are intended to advance the state-of-the-art in robotics and automation and provide a platform for researchers and developers to participate in a group setting working towards addressing problems with a humanitarian slant, Projects facilitate communities and associated organizations to work closely with robotics and automation researchers to elevate the quality of life for the residents of communities across the globe. RAS-SIGHT envisions Humanitarian Robotics and Automation Technology Challenges (HRATCs) as an unprecedented opportunity for technologists from around the world to collaborate using their skills and education to benefit humanity. The problems (challenges) are framed with the environmental, cultural, structural, political, socio-economic, and resource constraints so that solutions can be developed, deployed, and sustained.
In this vein, RAS-SIGHT is soliciting proposals that when implemented would improve the quality of life for the beneficiaries. ***To date, 21 projects have been funded***. A listing of previously completed and currently running projects are available from http://ieee-ras.org/ras-sight/
Some important points worth noting:
- The problem that you propose to solve should utilize robotics and/or automation technologies
- It is strongly encouraged that the solution be developed and deployed with active involvement from the community or the end-users that it is intended to benefit
- Sustainability beyond the completion of the project will be a key consideration
If you are interested, please submit a 4 page (max.) proposal in the standard IEEE conference format outlining:
- the problem,
- the solution,
- related work, similar initiatives, and how the proposed project will achieve new results than what is currently available,
- proposed partnerships with existing initiatives,
- number of people who would be impacted,
- previous experiences, both in terms of applied research and deployment,
- project development timeline,
- breakdown of anticipated costs, and how the funds would be used to support the project, and
- short biographies of project members (with URLs of respective websites)
We anticipate to fund proposals in the US$2500-$5000 range from all Regions of IEEE. Please note that the awarded funds cannot be used to support wages or salaries of personnel or for supporting theoretical research. All submissions should be sent to Raj Madhavan, Chair, RAS-SIGHT at <raj.madhavan@ieee.org>.
Important Dates
22 April 2019 - Submission Deadline
10 May 2019 - Acceptance Notifications
Additional information is available from:
Member in the News: Howie Choset selected as 2019 Engelberger Robotics Award Recipient
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Automation Industry’s Most Prestigious Honor to be presented at Automate 2019 in Chicago, IL USA on 10 April.
At a special dinner in conjunction with the Automate 2019 Show and Conference in Chicago on 10 April, RIA will honor Dr. Howie Choset, robotics professor at Carnegie Mellon University and co-founder of the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute.
2019 Engelberger Robotics Award Recipient
Howie Choset, IEEE and RAS Fellow, will receive the award for Education. In addition to being an inspiring professor in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon, Dr. Choset has lead key research efforts to help solve significant problems in diverse areas such as surgery, manufacturing, infrastructure inspection and search rescue. Additionally, he has co-founded several companies, including Medrobotics for surgical system, Hebi Robotics for modular robots, and Bito Robotics for autonomous guided vehicles. His FDA-approved surgical snake robot has been in use in the U.S. and Europe since 2015. Add to that his role as a co-founder of the ARM Institute that is aimed at advancing technology development and education for robotics in manufacturing, and his role as a founding editor of the journal Science Robotics, and you see that Dr. Choset is well-deserving of industry’s highest honor.
Engelberger Robotics Award
The award is named for Joseph F. Engelberger, known throughout the world as the ”father of robotics.” Engelberger was founder and president of Unimation, Inc., the world's first industrial robot manufacturer. The Engelberger Robotics Awards are presented to individuals for excellence in technology development, application, education and leadership in the robotics industry. Each winner receives a $5,000 honorarium and commemorative medallion with the inscription: "Contributing to the advancement of the science of robotics in the service of mankind." The awards recognize outstanding individuals from all over the world. Since the award’s inception in 1977, it has been bestowed upon 128 robotics leaders from 17 different nations.
2019 RAS AdCom Election - Call for Nominations
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The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society membership will elect six new members of the Administrative Committee in 2019, each to serve a three-year term beginning 1 January 2020. The AdCom is the governing body of the Society.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF ADCOM MEMBERS
AdCom members must attend two formal meetings each year, one in conjunction with ICRA and the other usually in October/November in conjunction with another major conference. Each AdCom member is expected to serve on at least two boards and/or committees of the Society.
ELIGIBILITY
Any higher-grade member of the Society is eligible to serve and all higher-grade members plus graduate students may nominate candidates and vote.
TO NOMINATE A CANDIDATE
To nominate a candidate or offer yourself as a candidate, contact the Society at ras@ieee.org by 1 May 2019.
PETITION CANDIDATES
Candidates may also petition to be on the ballot. All persons who, by the deadline, submit petitions with valid signatures and IEEE member numbers with at least 2% of the year-end voting membership will be placed on the ballot. Only original signatures on paper or electronic signatures submitted through the RAS petition website will be accepted. Faxed or emailed signatures are NOT acceptable. Contact the Society at ras@ieee.org to obtain a paper petition form or to set up an electronic petition.
Completed petitions must be received by 1 May 2019 to be placed on the ballot.
SELECTION OF FINAL BALLOT
The Nominations Committee will consider all nominations and petitions and select the candidates to be placed on the ballot.
Gift of IEEE Membership Now Offers Society Membership
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Members and non-members can now add Society membership when giving the Gift of IEEE Membership. The new option to add Society memberships is currently available as part of the half-year membership period, where IEEE and Society memberships are half price. Give the Gift of IEEE Membership for half price is available for the entire half-year period (1 March through 15 August).
Help someone in your life find their professional home in IEEE. Start by giving them the gift of IEEE Membership and consider adding a Society or two! IEEE membership will impact their professional and social life for years to come. IEEE delivers access to the industry's technical information, offers career development tools, and provides access to IEEE's discount programs. Now you can add Society memberships to provide access to their professional benefits as well. Don't wait: get someone started today!
For additional information, please contact Denise Maestri: d.maestri@ieee.org
2020 RAS Technical Education Programs - Call for Proposals
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Each year, the IEEE Robotics & Automation Society offers financial support for three Technical Education Programs (RAS-TEP), also known as "Summer Schools." In an effort to bring RAS closer to its membership, three programs are held each year: one in the Americas, one in Europe/MiddleEast/Africa, and one in Asia/Pacific Rim.
The RAS-TEP program is jointly run by the RAS Member Activities Board (MAB) and the RAS Technical Activities Board (TAB). These Boards will review proposals and select the TEP programs each year. The program sponsors up to three schools per year around the world. Each of the three Technical Education Programs (Summer Schools) will receive up to USD$25,000.00 in funding from RAS. Funding should be used to reduce the event cost for RAS Student Members, and to assist in securing high quality instructors.
The review of TEP proposals is based on assessments from two different viewpoints, the first one with respect to the general structure, including organizational matters and budget, and the second one with respect to the technical content. One or more relevant RAS Technical Committees (TCs) must endorse all submitted proposals. Current TCs are listed at: www.ieee-ras.org/technical-committees.
Guidelines for hosting an RAS-Technical Education Program are HERE
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
Technical Education Program Proposal - online proposal form
IMPORTANT DATES
Deadlines for the submission of 2019 proposals: 1 May 2019
Decision: ICRA 2019
Notification: July 2019
ICRA-X: Robots and Art Program - Expressive Motions
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This event is part of the 2019 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) wich will be held in Montreal, Canada from 20-24 May 2019.
Robots conjure images of motion. A large body of work in robotics research is concerned with the motion of machines. The 2019 edition of the ICRA Robots and Art program, now the ICRA-X Robots and Art program, invites researchers and practitioners to explore robot motion as creative expression. The program encourages and explores edgy collaborations between engineers and artists in preparation for the significant societal changes to come in the near future as robotics moves beyond the traditional bounds of industry into more social contexts.
For the first time in ICRA history, this year features a curated exhibition of over seven robotic art installations as part of the program (Curated by Alain Thibault, artistic director Elektra). In addition, a separate student art exhibition curated by professional artists and art professors (Alexandre Castonguay and Jean-Pierre Gauthier) will be hosted in parallel to the main exhibition providing early career artists with the opportunity to engage with the robotics research community. A full day forum will explore topics related to the theme, Expressive Motions with the participation of artists/researchers involved in the exhibition alongside a poster/interactive session. An eminent panel is also planned to discuss collaborative aspects of multidisciplinary research.
Invited Speakers (initial)
* Ken Goldberg
* Bill Vorn
* Guillaume Credoz
* Jean-Pierre Gauthier
* Michel de Broin
* Anouk Wipprecht
* Samuel St-Aubin
* Jean-Paul Laumond
* More to confirm
Call for Extended Abstracts/Short Papers
Short papers/extended abstracts are invited to be presented at a special poster/interactive session as part of the main forum. Submissions should be related to the forum topic and should represent work relevant to robotic art. All submissions will be peer-reviewed and accepted abstracts/short papers will be archived on roboticart.org with the possibility of being invited to publish extended work in a special issue in a suitable journal.
Topics include (non-exhaustive):
* Human-Robot Interaction
* Attention systems
* Robot motion planning
* Path planning
* Human-centred manipulation and navigation
* Collaborative robotics
* Human/Robot performances
* Natural movements in robots
* Creative agents
* Embodied agents
* Robot Swarms
* Human motion tracking and analysis
Open Call for Student Artwork
For the first time, ICRA will also host a curated robotic art exhibition for students which will be open to the public (without needing ICRA registration). We are looking to include several outstanding robotic art installations through this open call. Please send a clear description of your work to be considered for inclusion, including a high-quality photograph and any other supporting material including detailed technical requirements such as electrical needs (120V/60Hz only), sketches with dimensions. Please note that the work should be self-contained, and no funding will be made available for transport or any other costs related to the installation. If selected for inclusion, our support is limited to providing a space within the exhibition and access to a standard power source and 24hr security. All selected art works will be catalogued on the website program.
Important Dates
Abstracts/Short Papers/Student Art proposals: 31 March 2019
Decisions Announced: 21 April 2019
ICRA-X program dates: 20-22 May 2019
Please send your submissions to robotsandarts@gmail.com
For more information see: http://roboticart.org/icra2019/
2019 RAS Award Recipients Announced!
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The IEEE Robotics & Automation Society recognizes and congratulates the following individuals for their outstanding accomplishments and service to RAS and the robotics and automation community. They will be honored during an award luncheon to be held during the IEEE International Conference on Robotics & Automation (ICRA 2019) on 22 May 2019 at the Montreal Convention Centre, Montreal, Canada. Please join us in congratulating these outstanding recipients!
RAS Pioneer Award
Roland Siegwart - ETH Zurich, Switzerland
"For fundamental pioneering contributions to Robotics Research in the areas of autonomous navigation and design of flying and walking robots"
Bradley J. Nelson - ETH Zurich, Switzerland
"In recognition of outstanding contributions in micro and nano robotics"
RAS George Saridis Leadership Award in Robotics and Automation
Nancy Amato - University of Illinois (IL), United States
"For exceptional leadership in service of RAS conferences, publications, and membership, as well as mentorship of RAS volunteers"
Alessandro De Luca - Sapienza Universita di Roma, Italy
"For contributions to the robotics and automation community through research innovation and education, and for leadership in publication and conference activities in RAS"
David E. Orin - The Ohio State (OH), United States
"For exceptional leadership and dedication to RAS financial activities, governance, and awards"
IEEE RAS Distinguished Service Award
Allison Okamura - Stanford University (CA), United States
"For outstanding service as Editor-in-Chief of the RAS Conference Editorial Board and contributions to RAS’s new journal, IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters"
Early Academic Career Award in Robotics and Automation
Jeannette Bohg - Stanford University (CA), United States
"For contributions to robot perception and learning for manipulation"
Marco Hutter - ETH Zurich, Switzerland
"For his major contributions to actuation, design, and control of legged robots"
Ilana Nisky - Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
"For contributions to neuroscience-grounded analysis, design, and training in haptic, teleoperation, and robot-assisted surgery systems"
IEEE Robotics and Automation Award for Product Innovation
Sarcos Robotics - Kristi Martindale
"Sarcos® Robotics Guardian S Mobile IoT Platform: A first-of-its-kind, cloud-connected mobile IoT & sensor platform that provides inspection and surveillance capabilities to augment human-based inspections"
RAS Most Active Technical Committee Award
Technical Committee on Soft Robotics
Co-Chairs: Fumiya Iida, Cecilia Laschi, Ryuma Niiyama, Yiğit Mengüç
RAS Chapter of the Year Award
Italian Chapter of IEEE Robotics and Automation Society - Italy
Co-Chairs: Lucia Pallottino, Andrea Maria Zanchettin
