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2024 ICRA TABxSAC DINNER INVITATION
Sunday, 12 May, 2024, 5:00 - 8:00 PM
Queen's Grand BallRoom, The YOKOHAMA Bay Hotel Tokyu (2 Chome-3-7 Minatomirai, Nishi Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa 220-8543, Japan)
For Students and Post-Doctoral Researchers
We would like to invite students and postdoctoral researchers to the TAB (Technical Activities Board) X SAC (Student Activities Committee) Dinner to build up the community between current/former Technical Committees (TCs) and young researchers. Please join us to learn about TCs and SACs and how to be involved with them. [click for the last TABxSAC Dinner at IROS 2023]
Fee: No Charge for this event, however, space is limited please register in advance.
How to Register
- The students must be registered for the conference in any way to join this event.
- Please submit the form by Sunday, 28 April, 2024, 11:00PM (KST)
- This event will accept applications on a first-come, first-served basis.
Learn more about IEEE RAS Technical Committees here.
Learn more about the IEEE RAS Student Activities Committee (SAC) here.
Social Hour hosted by RAS Student Activities Committee (SAC)
Monday, 13 May, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Queen's Grand BallRoom, The YOKOHAMA Bay Hotel Tokyu (2 Chome-3-7 Minatomirai, Nishi Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa 220-8543, Japan)
Join the RAS Student Activities Committee’s Social Hour to meet fellow student attendees, grab a snack and beverage, and make networking easier at the conference. Attending a conference as a student can be overwhelming, particularly if you are without an advisor, lab mates, or colleagues. Attending the SAC Social Hour before the conference starts will give you the opportunity to connect with others, which makes it easier to engage in thoughtful conversations on the future of robotics and automation during the remainder of the conference.
There is no charge for this event; however, space is limited. Please register in advance.
IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) Town Hall
Tuesday, 14 May, 6:00-7:00 PM
Located at the Main Hall, Floor 1, PACIFICO Conference Center
The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) oversees all activities related to the organization of ICRA and other international conferences, and all IEEE journals on robotics (T-RO, RA-L T-ASE, RAM, etc).
We invite all ICRA attendees to join the ICRA 2024 RAS Town Hall to meet the IEEE RAS president and vice-presidents. This will be the occasion for you to voice your opinion on a number of issues that are looked at carefully be by the RAS executive committee:
- [Finance and Management]: Overview of RAS finance and spending
- [Minorities / Travel support]: Improved inclusion of minorities and expanded member support to provide travel and registration support to authors and contributors to ICRA and other conferences
- [Job Fair]: In-person and online career fairs and services to connect employers with members seeking careers in robotics and automation
- [Sustainability]: Reduction of CO2 emissions relative to organization of conferences - co-location of conferences, reduction of waste, and choice of conference venue
- [New IEEE RAS Transactions]: Launch of two new journals to practitioners: IEEE Robotics and Automation Practice and IEEE Transactions on Field Robotics
- [Conference Proceedings]: Toward a new model with abstract-based CFP for ICRA? Which place for journal papers in conference presentations?
Gifts: All in-person attendees of the Town Hall will receive custom RAS socks!
2024 RAS Women in Engineering Panel
Tuesday, 14 May, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Room 315 (Level 3), PACIFICO Conference Center
Join us for an interactive panel discussion and networking.
Pioneer women roboticists will share their insights on how one can navigate industry and academia, and on the role of women in bringing robotics to the real world! Also, don’t miss the chance to network with other roboticists!
Panelists:
Karinne Ramirez-Amaro, Docent/Associate professor , Chalmers University of Technology
Mihoko Otake, Team Leader of Cognitive Behavioral Assistive Technology Team, Center for Advanced Intelligence Project, RIKEN
The goal for this event is to be more than a lunch with women. All are encouraged to participate and enjoy the discussion.
There is no charge for this event; however, space is limited. Please register in advance here.
Lunch will be the conference-provided bentos.
For questions, please contact: ieee-ras-wie@ieee.org
2024 ICRA Cluster Forums
Tuesday, 14 May, 6:00 - 8:00 PM, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Annex Hall, 201~205, PACIFICO Conference Center
We would like to invite students, postdoctoral researchers, and anyone who is interested to the Cluster Forums to hear the distinguished speakers who will share their insights and research. Join us for an enlightening forum at ICRA 2024.
* Free Bento will be offered.
How to Register
- You must be registered for the conference in any way to join this event.
- Please submit the form by Sunday, 28 April, 2024, 11:00 PM (KST)
- RSVP: https://forms.gle/ssEeQc5SUU57gK2Q6
- This event will accept applications on a first-come, first-served basis.
Cluster Forum Information
Please Click the links to get more information.
- Robotics Foundation Cluster Forum (Annex Hall 201)
- Automation Cluster Forum (Annex Hall 202)
- Human-Centered and Life-like Robotics Cluster Forum (Annex Hall 203)
- Robots for Unstructured Environments Cluster Forum (Annex Hall 204)
- Healthcare and Medical Robotics Cluster Forum (Annex Hall 205)
[More information about Cluster]
Reviewers Happy Hour hosted by the RAS Young Reviewers Program (YRP)
Tuesday, 14 May, 6:00 - 7:00 PM
Room 511+512, PACIFICO Conference Center
- How often do you receive shallow and poorly written reviews for your papers?
- Have you ever doubted the right way to review somebody else's work?
- Do you really know everything about the review process of the conference/journal where you would like to submit your contribution?
If these questions sound familiar to you and you would like to gain deeper knowledge about related topics, join the Young Reviewers Program Reception!
The objective of the Young Reviewers Program is to assist and guide RAS members toward the best practices in peer review of scientific papers. This event is intended to provide the community with information about RAS's review process and suggest the best guidelines for reviewing a scientific paper.
Both Senior Reviewers who believe that we never stop learning and Young Reviewers willing to dive into the world of peer review are welcome to drop by, grab a drink, and join us!
There is NO CHARGE for this event, however space is limited. Please REGISTER in advance.
RAS WIE Diversity Cocktail Hour
Tuesday, 14 May, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Navios Yokohama Restaurant, 2-1-1 Shinminato, Naka-ku, Yokohama 231-0001
Join the RAS WiE for an evening celebrating the strength in our diverse backgrounds and shared aspirations. Grab a snack and beverage and meet some of your colleagues, and network!
There is no charge for this social event; however, space is limited. Registration will be opened at the Women in Engineering Panel.
RAS Lunch with Leaders (LwL) — for Students and Young Professionals
Wednesday, 15 May, 12:00 - 1:30 PM
Room 413 (Level 4), PACIFICO Conference Center
As a student or young professional attendee, you will meet and interact with distinguished RAS leaders from academia and industry. The event will feature informal roundtable discussions over lunch, which allows participants to receive career advice, gain insight into the future, or simply engage in general conversation to get to know pioneers in the field.
Don’t miss out on this chance to elevate your networking experience and make meaningful connections with figures in the world of robotics and automation.
There is no charge for this luncheon; however, space is limited. Registration will open in two weeks.
Follow the SAC on social media to be the first to know when registration opens!
Instagram: @ieee_ras_sac
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/ieee-ras-sac
Lunch will be the conference-provided bentos.
ICRA 2024 IAB Industry Events
The RAS Industry Activities Board is excited to offer a number of events for conference exhibitors and attendees at ICRA 2024. Events are as follows.
Tech Huddles
Tech huddles are short talks/presentations given by leading companies in the field. These will be given by a number of organizations Tuesday 14 May through Thursday 16 May at 10:00 - 10:30 AM, 3:00 - 3:30 PM and 4:00 - 4:30 PM, as well as on Wednesday 15 May at 12:00 - 1:30 PM.
Industry Panel
The Industry Panel will take place on Tuesday 14 May at 12:00 PM in the exhibit hall. Come see industry leaders present their organization’s new and exciting initiatives, as well as field questions regarding the latest trends and challenges in the field of Robotics and Automation.
Startup Manufacturing Workshop
Getting started in Robotics can be challenging but extremely rewarding. This workshop is designed to provide a place for robotics entrepreneurs to share ideas and experiences. Come and be inspired by others who have already been on the journey.
This entrepreneurship workshop will take place on Wednesday 15 May at 13:30-15:00 in room 423.
Entrepreneur/Mentor/Investor Office Hours on Expo Floor
You will have the opportunity to sign up for entrepreneurship mentorship office hours during the following time slots:
- Wednesday 15 May: 3:00 - 5:00 PM
- Thursday 16 May: 12:00 - 6:00 PM
The time slots are for one hour each and are granted on a first come first serve basis.
IEEE/IFR IERA Award Forum
The purpose of the IEEE/IFR Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Robotics and Automation (IERA) Award is to highlight and honor the achievements of the inventors who value creating ideas and entrepreneurs who propel those ideas into world-class products.
The selected finalists will have the opportunity to present their story of the genesis of a successful innovative product in robotics and automation from its very inception to the final state of commercialization in a series of plenary lectures. A winner will be chosen by an evaluation board consisting of distinguished individuals from industry and academia. A certificate will be awarded to each finalist, and the winner will receive a prestigious plaque as well as a US$2,000 prize.
This forum will be held on Thursday 16 May at 9:00 - 10:30 AM in room 422.
ICRA Career Fair
Looking for a new career in the field of robotics and automation? All registered attendees and exhibiting companies are invited to participate in the inaugural on-site ICRA Career Fair. Taking place from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Tuesday 14 May through 16 Thursday May, the interviews will be conducted at the designated career fair space in the exhibit hall and at exhibitors' booths. The ICRA Career Fair website will be sent out in the coming days, where you will be able to register for the career fair and schedule your interviews (required). We look forward to helping you find your next job!
RA Society Awards Ceremony and ICRA 2024 Awards Ceremony
Thursday, 16 May, 12:00 – 13:30
National Convention Hall, PACIFICO Conference Center
The Awards Ceremony is open to ALL conference attendees. Please come and celebrate with your friends and colleagues.
RAS Member Booth at ICRA
PACIFICO Exhibit Floor
The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society will again have a Member Booth at ICRA. Please visit us on the Exhibit Floor. Come and meet the Staff, and get your questions answered about IEEE and RAS. Pick up your Member Ribbon, and perhaps meet an RAS Leader. Hope to see you there!
IEEE RAS invites motivated individuals to apply as mentees for the Support Program to foster Academic Relationships and eXchange (SPARX). This initiative aims to bridge the gap between aspiring researchers from developing countries or scholars at risk and experienced mentors in well established robotics laboratories, fostering a collaborative environment that promotes learning and growth. As a mentee, you will have the opportunity to work closely with one of the distinguished SPARX mentors.
An overview of all SPARX mentors and project opportunities is listed on the second section of our Mentee Application form.
Please note, applicants may only be eligible to become a SPARX mentee if they are a senior faculty member (postdoc or beyond) and if they are
- affiliated with and currently located at a university or research institution in a developing country that is eligible for IEEE Electronic Membership (see https://www.ieee.org/membership/join/emember-countries.html) or
- considered a scholar at risk, whereas the applicants may already be part of the scholars at risk network (see https://www.scholarsatrisk.org/). In this case, applicants do not need to be affiliated with a university or research institution in their home country anymore. However, they need to submit a support letter of their host institution indicating their status as scholar at risk together with their CV.
We encourage passionate robotics enthusiasts meeting either of these criteria to seize this opportunity and embark on a transformative journey toward academic excellence and innovation without borders.
To ensure a streamlined submission process, we kindly request all interested mentees to follow the provided instructions and submit their project proposals via the Smart Sheet platform.
Application Form link
Submission Deadline: May 10, 2024
For further information and updates, please visit the SPARX website or contact us at ieee-ras-sparx@ieee.org.
The IEEE Robotics and 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 ceremony, to be held during the IEEE International Conference on Robotics & Automation (ICRA 2024) in May. Please join us in congratulating these outstanding recipients!
RAS Pioneer Award
Mark R. Cutkosky - Stanford University (CA), USA
“For contributions to Robot Design: from Bioinspiration to Biounderstanding”
Bruno Siciliano - University of Naples Federico II, Italy
“For fundamental contributions to robotics research in the areas of manipulation and control, human–robot cooperation, and service robotics”
RAS George Saridis Leadership Award in Robotics and Automation
Jaydev P. Desai - Georgia Institute of Technology (GA), USA
“For Foundational Research in Medical Robotics and Swarm Robotics and Service in Society Management”
IEEE RAS Distinguished Service Award
Venkat N. Krovi - Clemson University (SC), USA
“In recognition of his distinguished leadership, outstanding service, and innovative contributions to IEEE RAS Conferences and Technical Activities”
Marcia O'Malley - Rice University (TX), USA
“For outstanding service as Editor-in-Chief of the RAS Conference Editorial Board and various contributions to the haptics community”
Early Academic Career Award in Robotics and Automation
Pulkit Agrawal - Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA), USA
“For pioneering contributions to self-supervised robot learning and advancing sensorimotor control for contact-rich, dynamic, and dexterous tasks”
Roberto Calandra - Technical University of Dresden, Germany
“For contributions to touch sensing, processing, and their application to manipulation”
Josie Hughes - EPFL, Switzerland
“Fundamental contributions to soft robot design and embodied intelligence”
Lerrel Pinto - New York University (NY), USA
“For pioneering contributions in self-supervised robot learning”
Jiangfan Yu - Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
“For his contribution to the understanding, adaptive control and translational biomedicine of micro-/nanorobot swarms”
Early Government or Industry Career Award in Robotics and Automation
Andy Zeng - Google DeepMind, USA
“For outstanding contributions to robot learning, with applications in vision and language for manipulation”
IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation Most Influential Paper Award
Auke Ijspeert, Stefan Schaal, Jun Nakanishi
“Movement imitation with nonlinear dynamical systems in humanoid robots”
Proceedings of the 2002 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation
RAS Chapter of the Year Award
Jordan IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Chapter
Chair: Mohammad Salah
RAS Student Chapter of the Year Award
IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Student Branch Chapter Tafila Technical University, Jordan
Chair: Hamza Albzour
Co-chair: Abdulqader Dada
Submit your proposals for activities that promote broader participation in our field promoting an inclusive and equitable culture that welcomes, engages, and rewards all, without regard to ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
From mentoring sessions to outreach reports, CASE 2024 welcomes diverse ideas.
Deadline: 1 April 2024.
For details, visit: https://2024.ieeecase.org/call-for-diversity-and-inclusion-activities/
The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) and IEEE Consumer Technology Society (CTSoc) are seeking candidates for the position of Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Haptics (ToH). The selected candidate is expected to serve a five-year non-renewable term starting on 1 January 2025. The deadline to apply for this position is 1 September 2024.
To learn more about requirements and how to apply, check out this flyer.
Each year, the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) offers financial support for its Technical Education Program (TEP), also known as its “Seasonal Schools” program. The RAS TEP program is jointly run by the RAS Educational Activities Committee (EAC) and the RAS Technical Activities Board (TAB). The program sponsors schools around the world, to be held in person, virtually, or in a hybrid format.
The submission form can be found here. More information can be found on the website; reach out to ras@ieee.org with questions.
Key Dates and Deadlines
Submission deadline: 15 April 2024
Notification: 15 June 2024
Published: 20 January 2025
The paper submission deadline for CASE 2024 has been extended to 25 March, 2024 (hard deadline). Visit the conference website to learn more.
The IEEE Computational Intelligence Society; IEEE Computer Society; IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society; IEEE Signal Processing Society; and IEEE Robotics Society seek nominations for the position of Editor-in-Chief-Elect of IEEE Transactions on Artificial Intelligence (IEEE TAI) from July 2024, to commence from 1 January 2025 a two-year term as the Editor-in-Chief.
The EIC term is renewable for one additional two-year term subject to endorsement by the steering committee.
The Editor-in-Chief-Elect will assist the Editor-in-Chief in carrying out administrative functions, learn the operation of the Publication, and succeed the Editor-in-Chief at the end of his/her term.
Prospective candidates are asked to provide (as PDF files) a complete curriculum vitae, a vision statement describing their plan for the publication’s future, and a letter of support from their institution or employer. The deadline for submissions is 1 April 2024.
For more information on the search process and to submit nominations or application materials, please contact: Jo-Ellen Snyder <j.e.snyder@ieee.org>
Additional information about this call can be found on their flyer and about IEEE TAI is available on their website.
The special 40th anniversary of ICRA, ICRA @ 40, is now officially announced! The special edition, single-track conference will be held in Rotterdam, NL from 23-26 September 2024. Registration is not open yet, but submissions open on 25 February 2024.
Authors of papers accepted by major RAS journals (T-RO, RA-L, T-ASE and RAM) are encouraged to submit their papers to be presented during this special event. The conference will also be accepting extended abstracts and standalone video submissions.
Visit the Conference website here for more information, and check often for updates.
We are pleased to announce that a new batch of IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L) papers is now available on IEEE Xplore. Check it out!
The Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) Media Services Board and Student Activities Committee are searching for social media ambassadors for the upcoming ICRA 2024 conference in Yokohama, Japan. Social media ambassadors help create and post content about all the exciting events happening at the conference on RAS social media platforms. So if you are a social media–savvy RAS student member planning on attending ICRA, apply now! Social Media Ambassadors receive a $500 award for their help.
You can apply by filling this form. The deadline is 25 March 2024.
The paper submission deadline for CASE 2024 is approaching soon. Submit a paper to the regular proceedings or to one of the 43 Special Sessions! Papers related to the conference topics are all welcome. Check out the accepted special sessions here.
Hurry up! The deadline to submit is fast approaching: 1 March, 2024
Who are the leaders in the robotics and automation field? Who should be honored with a prestigious IEEE RAS Award? Consider nominating them! But hurry, the deadline for IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Award nominations is midnight (US ET) 1 August 2024. Details for each award, including eligibility and nomination requirements and lists of previous recipients, may be found at www.ieee-ras.org/awards-recognition/society-awards
The RAS Member Activities Board (MAB) awards a limited number of Chapter Initiative Grants to local RAS Chapters for professional development, educational outreach, and other programs. Grant proposals will be reviewed by the MAB at its meeting in late May 2024 and funds up to USD $2,000 will be awarded on a competitive basis. The deadline for proposals is 15 April 2024. Click here for submission details.
The IEEE Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA 2024) is coming to Yokohama! The conference takes place from 13-17 May 2024 at the impressive PACIFICO Yokohama conference center.
ICRA is the flagship conference of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society; it brings together the world's top researchers and leading companies to share ideas and advances in robotics and automation. The conference will include plenary sessions, contributed paper sessions, workshops and tutorial sessions, forums, expo and exhibitions from corporate partners, and robot competitions. Click here for the overview of the conference program.
Register now here; please note that the deadline for discounted early bird registration is 13 March 2024.
Key Dates and Deadlines
- Registration Site Open: 1 February 2024
- Final submission of papers open (PaperPlaza): 7 February 2024
- Author Registration Deadline: 6 March 2024
- Deadline for final submission of papers (PaperPlaza): 6 March 2024
- Deadline for final submission of video (PaperPlaza): 15 March 2024
- Early Bird Registration deadline: 13 March 2024
The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) invites experienced and dedicated professionals to contribute to the advancement of international faculty exchange through the Support Program to foster Academic Relationships and eXchange (SPARX).
This initiative seeks to foster a collaborative environment in the Robotics and Automation Society by bridging faculty members from disadvantaged countries with distinguished mentors. We are actively seeking mentor proposals that harmonize with the overarching goals of inclusion of RAS, emphasizing the crucial role mentors play in guiding mentees through meaningful research, facilitating impactful publications, and fostering active academic engagement. Proposals submitted should exemplify innovation, feasibility, and present a clear plan for the seamless integration of mentees into the research activities of their mentors. For additional details regarding the SPARX initiative, please visit the SPARX page on the RAS website.
To ensure a streamlined submission process, we kindly request all interested mentors to follow the provided instructions and submit their project proposals via the Smart Sheet platform.
Application Form: Link
Submission Deadline: EXTENDED to March 15th, 2024
Once the mentors are selected, interested mentees will be able to apply on-line. The mentee selection process will be facilitated by mentors following a structured approach. We look forward to receiving your proposals. Should you have any queries or require further clarification, feel free to reach out to us via ieee-ras-sparx@ieee.org.
We are pleased to announce that a new batch of IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L) papers is now available on IEEE Xplore. Check it out!
Each year, the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) offers financial support for its Technical Education Program (TEP), also known as its “Seasonal Schools” program. The RAS TEP program is jointly run by the RAS Educational Activities Board (EAB) and the RAS Technical Activities Board (TAB). The program sponsors schools around the world, to be held in person, virtually, or in a hybrid format.
The submission form can be found here. More information can be found on the website; reach out to ras@ieee.org with questions. Note that the application submission deadline is 15 April 2024.
The 2024 IEEE-RAS International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft 2024) will take place 14-17 April 2024 at the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego, CA. This is the only international conference focused on all aspects of soft robotics, and this will be the first time it takes place in-person in the United States.
In addition to numerous networking activities, the conference program will include workshops, plenary talks, competitions, technical presentations, interactive poster sessions and opportunities to learn from leading researchers in the field of Soft Robotics.
Register now! The discounted early registration runs through 1 March 2024. Check out the website for more details.
We are pleased to announce that Volume 16, Issue 4 of IEEE Transactions on Haptics (ToH) is now available on IEEE Xplore. Click here for the Table of Contents and check out the issue now!
