RAS E-News January 2007

Volume 5, Number 1

Welcome to RASeNews, the IEEE RAS email newsletter. RASeNews is limited to short announcements of RAS Conferences, RAS society 'action items', breaking news, and time-sensitive issues. Send comments, queries and news items to r.g.snyder@ieee.org.

IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation
April 10-14 2007, Rome Italy

ICRA ONLINE REGISTRATION IS UP AND RUNNING www.icra07.org

Online conference registration is now open. Advance registration fees apply until March 10, 2007.

ONLINE RESERVATIONS FOR ROME ACCOMMODATIONS ONLINE

A number of rooms in hotels of different categories have been reserved in advance for ICRA'07. These rooms must be reserved through the conference secretariat. If you wish to use this service, please proceed right away. The ICRA'07 website provides information on a variety of accommodations ranging from Bed and Breakfasts to 5 star hotels.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR RAS STUDENTS AND AUTHORS

RAS is providing a number of travel awards to selected RAS students as well as some financial support to assist authors of papers to be presented at ICRA'07. More information and the application forms are available on the conference web site http://www.icra07.org. The deadline for applications is FEBRUARY 15.

PLENARY SPEAKERS

We are proud to announce the three outstanding ICRA '07 plenary speakers:
1. Wednesday, April 11, Alain Berthoz, College de France, Paris, France "Simplifying Principles for Perception, Action, Locomotion and Navigation. A Common Problem for Brains and Robots "
2. Thursday, April 12, Ken Goldberg, University of California, Berkeley, USA "Putting the Turing into Manufacturing: Automation Science and Recent Developments in Feeding and Fixturing "
3. Friday, April 13, Katsushi Ikeuchi, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan "Programming-by-demonstration: From Assembly-plan Through DancingHumanoid "

ICRA SPECIAL EVENTS

GOLD LUNCH FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS - Wednesday, April 11

The RAS Technical Activities Board invites ALL Graduates Of the Last Decade (GOLD) ICRA'07 participants to meet for lunch. Free box lunches will be provided for the first 200! See the ICRAwebsite for details.

RAS OPEN FORUM - Wednesday, April 11

If you have any questions about what the Robotics and Automation Society does, or why we do things the way they do, this is the opportunity to meet the officers who will answer your questions and listen to your suggestions.

WOMEN IN R&A LUNCH -Thursday, April 12

Attendees at ICRA'07 are invited to an informal RAS "Birds of a Feather" lunch, at which robotics and automation researchers will lead a discussion of the status, retention, and recruitment of women in this field. See http://www.nada.kth.se/~danik/woman.html for more information.

IEEE/IFR INDUSTRY FORUM ON INVENTION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN ROBOTICS AND
AUTOMATION - Tuesday, April 10

In the first part of the forum outstanding entrepreneurs will present their stories of the genesis of a successful innovative product in robotics and
automation from its very inception to the final state of commercialization. The second part of the forum is a workshop on the "Robotics and Automation Industry of the Future: Perspectives from Commercial, Research and Policy Sectors. In a series of six talks from distinguished speakers from industry, academia and governmental organizations the future of robotics and automation will be presented and discussed from the different perspectives of industry, research and policy makers.

We look forward to seeing you in Roma!

1. ICRA Online Registration is up and running!

Online conference registration is now open. Advance registration fees apply until March 10, 2007. http:www.icra07.org

2. Online Reservations for Rome Accommodations Online

A number of rooms in hotels of different categories have been reserved in advance for ICRA'07. These rooms must be reserved through the conference secretariat. If you wish to use this service, please proceed right away. The ICRA'07 website provides information on a variety of accommodations ranging from Bed and Breakfasts to 5 star hotels.

3. Financial Support for Authors at ICRA 2007

RAS is providing a number of travel awards to selected RAS students as well as some financial support to assist authors of papers to be presented at ICRA'07. More information and the application forms are available on the conference web site http://www.icra07.org. The deadline for applications is FEBRUARY 15

4. Plenary Speakers at ICRA 2007

We are proud to announce the three outstanding ICRA '07 plenary speakers:
1. Wednesday, April 11, Alain Berthoz, College de France, Paris, France "Simplifying Principles for Perception, Action, Locomotion and Navigation. A Common Problem for Brains and Robots "
2. Thursday, April 12, Ken Goldberg, University of California, Berkeley, USA "Putting the Turing into Manufacturing: Automation Science and Recent Developments in Feeding and Fixturing "
3. Friday, April 13, Katsushi Ikeuchi, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan "Programming-by-demonstration: From Assembly-plan Through DancingHumanoid "

5. RAS Gold Lunch for Young Professionals-Wed Apr 11 2007

The RAS Technical Activities Board invites ALL Graduates Of the Last Decade (GOLD) ICRA'07 participants to meet for lunch. Free box lunches will be provided for the first 200! See the ICRAwebsite for details.

6. RAS Open Forum- Wednesday, April 11

If you have any questions about what the Robotics and Automation Society does, or why we do things the way they do, this is the opportunity to meet the officers who will answer your questions and listen to your suggestions.

7. Women in R&A Lunch- Thursday April 12

Attendees at ICRA'07 are invited to an informal RAS "Birds of a Feather" lunch, at which robotics and automation researchers will lead a discussion of the status, retention, and recruitment of women in this field. See http://www.nada.kth.se/~danik/woman.html for more information.

8. IEEE/IFR Industry Forum on IERA*

* Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Robotics and Automation

In the first part of the forum outstanding entrepreneurs will present their stories of the genesis of a successful innovative product in robotics and
automation from its very inception to the final state of commercialization. The second part of the forum is a workshop on the "Robotics and Automation Industry of the Future: Perspectives from Commercial, Research and Policy Sectors. In a series of six talks from distinguished speakers from industry, academia and governmental organizations the future of robotics and automation will be presented and discussed from the different perspectives of industry, research and policy makers.

The Award for Invention and Entrepreneurship in Robotics and Entrepreneurship will also be presented.