By Abderrahmane Kheddar, on behalf of the French Research Robotics Network (GDR Robotique)

Philippe Coiffet 1

It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of Professor Philippe Coiffet on Friday, 20 October, at the age of 83. Philippe was a remarkable person. As a scientist, he was a visionary and open-minded researcher; he dedicated his life to the field of robotics (in particular, telerobotics and virtual reality) and leaves us a rich legacy. On a human level, he was incredibly friendly and kind, and an outstanding mentor for his students.

Philippe Coiffet, born in 1940 in Pompaire (Deux Sèvres), France, received a doctorate in nuclear physics from Orsay University. He spent his entire scientific career at the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS). In 1972, he set up the first public robotics research team at the University of Montpellier. Since then, he has taken several secondments. He has been a project manager for the French Ministries of Industry and Higher Education and Research, where he set up the Ateliers Inter-établissements de Productique (AIP). Philippe Coiffet also coordinated France's first robotics program, Automatisation et Robotique Avancées (ARA), from 1980 to 1984, set up by the CNRS and directed by Georges Giralt. He was a visiting professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara (1985-1986, robotics center) and a professor at Institut National des Sciences et Techniques Nucléaires (INSTN). He was one of the founders of the Laboratoire de Robotique de Paris (LRP), of which he was a member from 1987 to 1999. He also created the Centre de Robotique Intégrée d'Ile de France (CRIIF), a center dedicated to innovation that bridges academia and industry in robotics; he was the director of CRIIF from 1987 to 1991. With Dr. Kazuo Tanie, he established the Joint Research Laboratory (JRL), an international joint research unit between CNRS and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Tsukuba, Japan, dedicated to research in humanoid robots. As a professor at INSTN, he set up a masters degree in robotics as well as two specialties in robotics and production engineering, one at INSTN and the other at the University of Transilvania in Brasov (Romania), of which he is Doctor Honoris Causa.

Philippe Coiffet's early work was mainly in telerobotics and computer-assisted teleoperation, on which he worked with Jean Vertut at the Nuclear French Authority (CEA); he also worked on bimanual telerobotics and computer assisted telerobotics for nuclear facilities maintenance. Later, he shifted his research toward virtual reality, in collaboration with Professor Grigore Burdea from Rutgers University. He developed the first force feedback data glove in France, and he worked on enhancing computer-assisted telerobotics with virtual and augmented realities. He has published over twenty scientific books on robotics and virtual reality, most of them translated into English and some into other languages, as well as over 300 articles on these subjects.

Philippe Coiffet was Vice President of Association Française de Robotique Industrielle (AFRI) and received the Engelberger Award from the US Robot Industry Association (RIA). He was a founding member of the National Academy of Technology of France. Philippe Coiffet is a Knight of the Légion d'Honneur.

At this link (www.lirmm.fr/philippe-coiffet/), you can leave a personal message to remember and honor Philippe.

Philippe Coiffet 2

The 2023 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) showcased the latest commercialization in robotics and proved to be a successful forum for networking with the world’s leading robotics research labs and companies. For highlights, read below and check out this piece from Silicon Valley Robotics by Andra Keay, the RAS Vice President of Industrial Activities.

Industry Tech Talks

The Tech Huddle Stage was one of the first things attendees saw when they walked into the Expo area. This program thus saw excellent turnout at its presentations throughout the convention, which were organized by the RAS Industrial Activities Board (IAB) and IROS 2023 conference organizers. Talk highlights included the following.

Aadeel Akhtar of Psyonic showcased their groundbreaking Ability Hand, complemented by a captivating video that demonstrated the hand's control via a direct brain interface.

Aadeel Akhtar Psyonic

Figure 1. Aadeel Akhtar, Psyonic

Federico Pecora from Amazon Robotics discussed the opportunity for creating foundational ML models tailored for their expansive fleet of warehouse robots.

Federico Pecora Amazon

 Figure 2. Federico Pecora, Amazon

In addition, Frank Naccarato of Quantum Robotic Systems spoke about ROSA, a distinctive stair-climbing AMR designed for home aid applications.

The IAB hopes to collaborate with conference organizers in the future on similar Tech Huddle or Tech Talks events.

Katherine Scott Intrinsic

Figure 3. Katherine Scott, Intrinsic.ai / Open Robotics

Florian Pokorny KTH

Figure 5. Florian Pokorny, KTH

Narcis Miguel Banos PAL Robotics

Figure 4. Narcis Miguel Banos, PAL Robotics

Sviatlana Hohn LuxAI

Figure 6. Sviatlana Höhn, LuxAI S.A.

 

Startup Mentorship Program

Following a similar format to the popular Tech Huddles, the RAS IAB and IROS 2023 conference organizers set aside an area of the Expo Floor for small groups to meet for startup mentorship. In this pilot program, startup entrepreneurs heard advice on fundraising, product development, manufacturing, sourcing, and scaling.

Entrepreneurs were introduced to the new “Manufacturing Checklist” course being developed by the IAB. The course is going to launch online in 2024; it provides a framework for future RAS Startup Bootcamps, Workshops, and Office Hours. The next RAS Startup Workshop is being planned for Rotterdam in early November. The IAB will look to expand startup programming at future RAS conferences.

Startup mentorship

Figure 7. Startup Mentorship Office Hours at IROS 2023

We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Craig Schlenoff as the Deputy Director and Incoming Director of the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) National Coordination Office at the White House. This appointment serves as a testament to Dr. Schlenoff’s exceptional work at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and as Associate Vice President of Standards for IEEE-RAS.

As Deputy Director and Incoming Director, Craig Schlenoff will be pivotal in shaping the nation's research and development efforts in networking and information technology. He will spearhead initiatives to drive innovation, enhance national security, and bolster the United States’ position as a global leader in technological advancements.

We extend our warmest congratulations to Craig Schlenoff on this well-deserved appointment and eagerly anticipate the positive impact he will make in his new role for the next year. Meanwhile, he will continue in his role with IEEE-RAS, facilitating the increasingly important International Standards Working Group meetings, the development of new standards study groups, and the annual Standards Scholarships to assist students in attending standards meetings at IEEE-RAS conferences.

Craig Schlenoff white house 2

 

The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society is most pleased to announce that Davide Scaramuzza has been selected as the recipient of the prestigious 2024 IEEE Kiyo Tomiyasu Award. Professor Scaramuzza was selected “for contributions to agile visual navigation of micro drones and low-latency robust perception with event cameras.” Pro­fessor Scaramuzza will receive the award at the 2024 International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), which will be held in Yokohama, Japan from 13-17 May 2024.

Davide Scaramuzza

Davide Scaramuzza is an international authority in the field of robotics, specifically in agile visual navigation for micro drones and robust perception using event cameras on low-latency systems. His research has been instrumental in enhancing the autonomy, agility, decision-making, and safety capabilities of modern flying robots and autonomous systems. He pioneered autonomous, vision-based navigation of drones, which inspired the navigation algorithm of the NASA Mars helicopter. And, in 2022, his team demonstrated that an AI-controlled, vision-based drone could outperform the world champions of drone racing. His work at the intersection of traditional robotics theory and visual navigation techniques has translated to innovative commercial products that have real-world impact and generate new value for society.

An IEEE Senior Member, Scaramuzza is Professor and Director of the Robotics and Perception Group, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

About the IEEE Kiyo Tomiyasu Award

The IEEE Kiyo Tomiyasu Award is sponsored by the late Dr. Kiyo Tomiyasu, the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society, and the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society. It was established in 2001 to recognize outstanding early to mid-career contributions to technologies holding the promise of innovative applications. Recipient selection is administered through the Technical Field Awards Council of the IEEE Awards Board.

More information and a list of past recipients can be found here.

The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society is most pleased to announce that Paolo Dario has been selected as the recipient of the prestigious 2024 IEEE Robotics and Automation Award. Professor Dario was selected “for establishing and advancing bionics and biorobotics as key research areas worldwide, integrating robotics and medicine.” Pro­fessor Dario will receive the award at the 2024 International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), which will be held in Yokohama, Japan from 13-17 May 2024.

Paolo Dario 2022

Paolo Dario is the father of biorobotics. The techniques he innovated are the basis for the practical application of robotics in engineering and medicine, including minimally invasive surgery and rehabilitation devices for the elderly and disabled. He was one of the main proposers of bio-inspired sensors and devices, and of medical applications of robotics, at a time when they were unknown to most roboticists. His pioneering work in tactile sensing and artificial perception for robots enabled cybernetic prostheses that directly interfaced with the nervous system. He has also contributed to the development of neurorobotics, which combines the latest advances in neuroscience with robotics to expand the capability of human-robot interaction and empower the robot with human intelligence.

An IEEE Life Fellow, Dario is Professor Emeritus of Biomedical Robotics, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy.

 

About the IEEE Robotics and Automation Technical Field Award

The IEEE Robotics and Automation Technical Field Award (TFA) was established in 2002 by the IEEE Board of Directors. This TFA is presented for contributions in the field of robotics and automation; it is sponsored by the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society.

More information and a list of past recipients can be found here.

Congratulations and welcome to the following newly organized IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) Chapters:

REGION 3

USA

  • Atlanta Section Joint Chapter, Robotics and Automation Society and Sensors Council

REGION 8

KENYA

  • Technical University of Kenya, Robotics and Automation Society Student Branch Chapter

NIGERIA

  • Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Robotics and Automation Society Student Branch Chapter TUNISIA
  • I. Information and Communication Technologies, Robotics and Automation Society Student Branch Chapter

REGION 9

  • Universidad Nacional de San Agustin, Robotics and Automation Society Student Branch Chapter

REGION 10

INDIA

  • Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham-Mysuru, Robotics and Automation Society Student Branch Chapter in the Bangalore Section
  • Anil Neerukonda Institute of Technology and Sciences, Robotics and Automation Society Student Branch Chapter
  • Bansal Institute of Engineering and Technology-Lucknow, Robotics and Automation Society Student Branch Chapter
  • College of Engineering - Karunagappally, Joint Computer and Robotics and Automation Society Student Branch Chapter
  • National Institute of Engineering-Mysore, Robotics and Automation Society Student Branch Chapter
  • P A College of Engineering-Mangalore, Robotics and Automation Society Student Branch Chapter
  • Reva University, Robotics and Automation Society Student Branch Chapter in the Bangalore Section
  • Sree Vidyanikethan Engineering College-Tirupati, Robotics and Automation Society Student Branch Chapter
  • Symbiosis Institute of Technology-Pune, Robotics and Automation Society Student Branch Chapter
  • Vidya Jyothi Institute of Technology, Robotics and Automation Society Student Branch Chapter

Kazakhstan

  • IEEE Kazakhstan Computational Intelligence and Robotics and Automation Societies Joint Chapter

Sri Lanka

  • Informatics Institute of Technology, Robotics and Automation Society Student Branch Chapter

Congratulations to the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Members recently elevated to Senior Member status by the IEEE Admission and Advancement Senior Member Review Panel.

To be eligible for application or nomination, candidates must

  • be engineers, scientists, educators, technical executives, or originators in IEEE-designated fields
  • have experience reflecting professional maturity
  • have been in professional practice for at least 10 years (with some credit for certain degrees).

In addition, candidates for Senior Member grade must supply three references from current IEEE Members holding the grade of Fellow, Senior Member, or Honorary Member. For more information, visit https://www.ieee.org/membership/senior/ or email senior-member@ieee.org. The names and affiliations of the new Senior Members are as follows, listed alphabetically by Region:

Region 1

Taskin Padir

Worcester County Section

Paul Robinette

Boston Section

Milad Siami

Boston Section

Region 2

Axel Krieger

Baltimore Section

Rahul Mangharam

Philadelphia Section

Eric Stich

Worcester County Section

Region 3

Nicola Bezzo

Central Virginia Section

Gokhan Erdemir

Chattanooga Section

Yu Wang

Gainesville Section

Region 4

Siddharth Agarwal

Southeastern Michigan Section

Brenna Argall

Chicago Section

Bing Li

Milwaukee Section

Byung-Cheol Min

Central Indiana Section

Mario Santillo

Southeastern Michigan Section

Patrick Wensing

Calumet Section

Region 5

Hemadri Doma

High Plains Section

Christoffer Heckman

Denver Section

Amol Kakade

Houston Section

Region 6

David Yushan Fong

Santa Clara Valley Section

Wen Lik Lui

Santa Clara Valley Section

Balamurugan M

Santa Clara Valley Section

Santhosh Nag

Santa Clara Valley Section

Thomas Stevens

Tucson Section

Region 7

Mokhles Abdulghani

Vancouver Section

Tuheen Ahmmed

Ottawa Section

Allen Upward

Vancouver Section

Region 8

Tamim Asfour

Germany Section

Daniele Cafolla

United Kingdom and Ireland Section

Roberto Calandra

Germany Section

Graziana Cavone

Italy Section

Dimitris Chrysostomou

Denmark Section

Omar Garcia Crespillo

Germany Section

Filippo Dippolito

Italy Section

Sami Elmadssia

Saudi Arabia Section

Pietro Falco

Italy Section

John Kagoro

Uganda Section

Federica Pascucci

Italy Section

Felice Andrea Pellegrino

Italy Section

Jose-Luis Sanchez-Lopez

Benelux Section

Matteo Saveriano

Italy Section

Abdalla Swikir

Germany Section

Barkan Ugurlu

Turkiye Section

Region 9

J Anibal Arias

Morelos Section

Jorge Cruz Duarte

Monterrey Section

Luis Gutierrez

Colombia Section

Roberto Moreno

Chile Section

Eduardo Espinoza Quesada

Mexico Section

Region 10

Ponmalara A

Madras Section

Sanjeevi Gandhi A

Madras Section

Shabir Ahmad

Seoul Section

Ms. Sangeerani Devi Aranganathan

Madras Section

Ponshanmugakumar Arunachalam

Madras Section

Ebubekir Avci

New Zealand Central Section

Richard Bowyer

South Australia Section

He Chen

Beijing Section

Diwadalage Kasun Prasanga De Silva

Sri Lanka Section

Rui Fan

Shanghai Section

Lihang Feng

Nanjing Section

Jayanthi Ganesan

Madras Section

Liu Gangfeng

Harbin Section

Kumar Gaurav

Delhi Section

Dr. S Venu Gopal

Hyderabad Section

Mahmudul Hasan

Bangladesh Section

Shilpa Hudnurkar

Pune Section

Walter Hyde

Beijing Section

Kamalakannan J

Madras Section

Jegan Amarnath J

Madras Section

Deepak Joshi

Delhi Section

Ayoung Kim

Seoul Section

Sreeja Kochuvila

Bangalore Section

Balaji Navaneetha Krishnan

Madras Section

Baoquan Li

Beijing Section

Raymond Wing-Fai Leung

New South Wales Section

Huashan Liu

Shanghai Section

Xiao-feng Liu

Nanjing Section

Pachhaiammal Priya M

Madras Section

Narayan Mane

Pune Section

Biao Mei

Beijing Section

Banibrata Mukherjee

Kharagpur Section

Sridharan P

Madras Section

Suthahar P

Madras Section

Hardik Pandya

Bangalore Section

Manh Duong Phung

Vietnam Section

Chenkun Qi

Shanghai Section

Qiquan Quan

Harbin Section

Sampath R

Madras Section

Vigneswaran R

Madras Section

Edward Rankin

Singapore Section

Anjan Ray

Kolkata Section

Parag Rughani

Gujarat Section

Premalatha S

Madras Section

Mandar Sapre

Bombay Section

Ahn Ho Seok

New Zealand North Section

Christopher Ezhil Singh Sreedharan

Kerala Section

Girish Subbarao

Bangalore Section

Sathies Kumar T

Madras Section

U-Xuan Tan

Singapore Section

Karthick Thiyagarajan

New South Wales Section

Tamilarasan Uthirapathy

Madras Section

Uma Maheswari V

Hyderabad Section

Mohini Vyawahare

Bombay Section

Zhongkui Wang

Kansai Section

Xiaochen Xie

Guangzhou Section

Rong Xiong

Nanjing Section

Pandurangaiah Y

Hyderabad Section

Haibin Yan

Beijing Section

Qilong Yuan

Singapore Section

Yimin Zhang

Beijing Section

Guyue Zhou

Beijing Section

 

 

 

 

RAS is seeking applications for the Member Activities Board’s Student Activities Committee (SAC). There are openings for one Chair and one or more Co‐Chairs. These positions offer great opportunities to learn more about the Society, have an international impact, and expand one’s professional network. The Chair will serve for two calendar years (2024-2025) with an onboarding phase until ICRA 2024, and the co‐chairs will serve a one‐year term in 2024, which is renewable for a second year.

The RAS SAC promotes student participation in Society activities in co‐operation with all Society Boards, Committees, and Working Groups, under the supervision of the Member Activities Board. The SAC’s mission includes working on issues of interest to Student Members and interacting with Student Members and Student Branch Chapters. Current areas of focus include:

  • Lunch with Leaders held at flagship conferences (ICRA, CASE, IROS)
  • Fun informal social events at RAS-sponsored conferences
  • Educational webinars
  • Membership development
  • SAC website and social media content management
  • Coordination with Student Branch Chapter Chairs
  • SAC column in IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine (quarterly publication)

Description of Roles:

Chair: The Chair will be responsible for managing the SAC and its efforts. The Chair of the SAC will be one of 24 voting members on the RAS Administrative Committee (AdCom). The Chair is expected to attend semi-annual AdCom meetings, which are held in conjunction with ICRA and IROS conferences. Travel support of up to $4000 USD is provided by the Society to attend these meetings. The Chair shall also serve on and report to the Member Activities Board.

Social Media & RA-M Co-Chair: This Co-Chair is responsible for managing media communications to promote the activities of the SAC and the Society to students, which includes maintaining an online presence as well as making announcements on social media. This Co-Chair will also be responsible for contributing and collecting reports for the Student’s Corner column articles for the quarterly IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine (RA-M).

RSR Coordinator Co-Chair: This Co-Chair will be the primary channel of communication between the Regional Student Representatives (RSRs) and the SAC, as well as various Student Chapters directly as required. They are also expected to promote communication between various Chapters in the Society and assist RSRs when necessary. The Co-Chair is also expected to work with the RSRs to highlight student chapter activities for the RA-M Chapter and International Activities column.

Technical Activities Co-Chair: Several of the 45 IEEE Technical Committees of RAS, which cover different scientific and technical areas in robotics and automation, are introducing student representatives, and these numbers are expected to grow. This new Co-Chair will organize the activities of these student representatives and serve as a liaison to SAC.

Conference Event Co-Chair: This is a more fluid role that exists to help coordinate or organize events or volunteers during ICRA, IROS, or CASE. This individual will likely be expected to work closely with conference Organizing Committees to accomplish various tasks, e.g., organizing student-led tutorial sessions.

Candidates may be undergraduate or graduate students, but they must be Student Members of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society in good standing. The ideal candidate has strong social, professional, and communication skills and is willing to take part in ongoing activities and propose new initiatives. Past participation in SAC is preferred but not required. There is no geographical preference.

Currently, the SAC has several initiatives to promote active networking, interdisciplinary dialogues, and robotics education. Some initiatives require weekly SAC involvement while other activities are conference specific (such activities are currently developed around the RAS flagship conferences: IROS, ICRA, and CASE). More information about current activities can be found at the RAS SAC webpage.

Interested applicants should be:

  • Self-motivated
  • Organized
  • Responsive to email discussions
  • Able to commit 5+ hours a week to SAC material, potentially more when required for specific activities (g., reviewing volunteer proposals, organizing conference activities, etc.)

If you wish to be considered, please complete an application form by 15 November 2023; please indicate whether you are applying for the Chair or Co-Chair position (please specify one or more Co-Chair positions). Be sure to include the following information:

  1. A letter indicating the applicant’s interest in serving on the SAC and relevant experience (2 pages maximum)
  2. A CV or résumé (2 pages maximum)
  3. A letter of support from a faculty member at your college or university (preferably a current member of IEEE and RAS)

For more information on the SAC and current activities, refer to the IEEE RAS SAC webpage.

We are pleased to announce that Volume 16, Issue 3 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!

We are pleased to announce that the September 2023 issue of IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine (Volume 30, Issue 3) is now available on IEEE Xplore. Click here for the table of contents and check out the issue now on Xplore!

Front Cover September

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!

We are pleased to announce that the 2024 IEEE International Conference on Automation Science and Engineering (CASE 2024) will take place in Bari in Puglia (or Apulia), Italy from 28 August-1 September 2024.

The conference theme is Automation 5.0: Automation Everywhere for Better and Smarter Living and will include tutorials and workshops, a technical program of presentations, keynote lectures, and social events. The conference will cover a wide range of topics on Systems, Automation, Control Theory, Autonomous Systems, Discrete Event Systems, Smart Cities, Robotics, Building Automation, Smart Mobility, Information and Communication Technologies, and Factory 4.0.

CASE 2024 invites special session and workshop proposals, regular papers, industry papers, and presentation-only papers related to the conference topics.

For more information, check out the flyer and website.

The paper submission deadline for the 2024 IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (Robosoft 2024) is now less than one month away! Robosoft 2024 will take place in San Diego, CA, USA from 14-17 April 2024.

The conference theme is Soft Robotics for Exploration. For more information, check out the website.

Key Deadlines

  • Paper Submission Deadline: 15 October 2023 1 November 2023
  • Workshop/Tutorials Submission Deadline: 15 November 2023
  • Competition Submission Deadline: 15 December 2023

IEEE RAS Robotics Foundation Cluster Forum

Robotics Foundations and Future Challenges

Saturday, September 30 1-5pm (Note: this is one day before IROS officially begins)

Room 331, Level 3, Huntington Place

Chairpersons

  • Marcelo Ang, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  • Giuseppe Loianno, New York University, USA
  • Josie Hughes, EPFL, Switzerland
  • Jen Jen Chung, The University of Queensland, Australia

Speakers:

  • Rebecca Kramer-Bottiglio, Yale University, USA
  • Dawn Tilbury, University of Michigan, USA
  • Aude Billard, EPFL, Switzerland

This is the second forum hosted by the IEEE RAS Robotics Foundation Technical Cluster. This forum will provide an opportunity for students to hear from distinguished researchers across the breadth of robotics, including plenary talks and panels that cover the foundations of a topic as well as a view to the future.

Early career research students are especially encouraged to participate in the forum.

There is no charge for this event; however, space is limited. Please register in advance.


IEEE RAS TAB X SAC Dinner - For Student and Post-Doctoral Researchers

Saturday, September 30 6-8pmn (Note: this is one day before IROS officially begins)

Rooms 310A & 310B, Level 3, Huntington Place

Students and postdoctoral researchers attending IROS 2023 are cordially invited to the IEEE-RAS TAB (Technical Activities Board) X SAC (Student Activities Committee) Dinner, an event that aims to foster community engagement between current/former Technical Committees (TCs) and students and postdoctoral researchers prior to IROS 2023.

Please Note: Students must be registered for the conference to attend this event. Seating is limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

At this gathering, each TC will be seated at designated tables, which provides a unique opportunity to interact and engage with your preferred TCs. We are confident that this event will greatly enhance your understanding of the TCs and SAC.

Learn more about IEEE RAS Technical Committees here.

Learn more about the IEEE RAS Student Activities Committee (SAC) here.

There is no charge for this event; however, space is limited. Please register in advance.

We look forward to sharing this special moment with you.


IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) Town Hall

Sunday, October 1, 5-6pm 

(Directly after the conclusion of the first day of Workshops/Tutorials and immediately before the Welcome Reception)

Room 310A/B, Level 3, Huntington Place

Calling all Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) members, and those interested in learning more about RAS! We want to connect with you at the upcoming RAS Town Hall. RAS leaders will be present to discuss current initiatives and future programs, and to hear your voice on the priorities of RAS and our community.

RAS has many new initiatives in the works for our members:

  • An expanded member support program to provide travel and registration support to authors and contributors of our flagship conferences.
  • Expanded in-person and online career fairs and services to connect employers with members seeking careers in robotics and automation.
  • The proposed launch of two new journals: IEEE Robotics and Automation Practice, to engage our growing community of practitioners, and IEEE Transactions on Field Robotics to engage the field robotics community.
  • The empowerment of our Technical Committees (TCs) with greater autonomy and financial support.
  • A restructuring of our conference programs to better respond to the needs of our rapidly growing and evolving community.
  • The development of online educational content, from certified core curricula to advanced courses.

All in-person attendees of the Town Hall will be provided with newly designed RAS T-shirts!

The Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) oversees all activities related to the organisation of IEEE-RAS conferences and IEEE journals on robotics. The RAS Executive and Administrative Committees are composed of leading scientists from around the world who devote some of their free time for the benefit of our community.


 

WIE Luncheon and Networking - Women Shaping the Future of Robotics

Monday, October 2, 12:30 - 2:00 pm

Room 310A (Level 3), Huntington Place

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:

  • Andra Keay, Silicon Valley Robotics, USA
  • Dawn Tilbury, University of Michigan, USA

The goal for this event is to be more than a luncheon 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.

For questions, please contact: ieee-ras-wie@ieee.org

LunchEvent


 

Social Hour hosted by RAS Student Activities Committee (SAC)

Monday, October 2, 6-8 pm

The Elephant Room, 439 E Congress St, Detroit, MI 48226

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.


Telerobotics and Haptics Joint TC Social Event

Monday, October 2, 6-8 pm

Room 338, Level 3, Huntington Place

The IEEE RAS Technical Committee on Telerobotics and the IEEE RAS Technical Committee on Haptics are happy to invite you to the Telerobotics and Haptics Joint TC Social Event at IROS 2023.

Join the event to meet fellow attendees interested in these topics while grabbing a snack and beverage. The leadership of the two Technical Committees will be present to discuss planned initiatives, answer your questions, and seek feedback from you on your ideas!

There is no charge for this event; however, space is limited. Please register in advance if possible.


RAS Lunch with Leaders (LwL) — for Students and Young Professionals

Wednesday, October 4 - 12:30-1:30 pm

Huntington Place, Room 310A (Level 3)

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. Please register in advance.


RAS WIE Diversity Cocktail Hour

Tuesday, October 3, 7-9pm

Firebird Tavern, 419 Monroe St, Detroit, MI 48226

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. Please register in advance. Please note: drink tickets will be distributed at the event on a first-come, first-served basis.

DiversityCocktailHour


RAS Member Booth at IROS

Huntington Place, Exhibit Floor

The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society will again have a Member Booth at IROS. Please visit us on the Exhibit Floor, Booth 443. 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!

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!

We are pleased to announce a new special issue for IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering (T-ASE) on Engineering and Operating Digital Twins for Automated Production or Construction Systems.

Check out the flyer for more details on the Special Issue aims and scope.

Key Dates and Deadlines

  • Submission deadline: 31 March 2024
  • Tentative publication date: 1 October 2025

We are pleased to announce that Volume 5, Issue 3 of IEEE Transactions on Medical Robotics and Bionics (T-MRB) is now available on IEEE Xplore. Click here for the table of contents and check out the issue now on Xplore!

IEEE RAS TAB X SAC Dinner Invitation

For Student and Post-Doctoral Researchers attending IROS 2023


Dear Students and Postdoctoral Researchers attending IROS 2023,

We cordially invite you to the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) TAB (Technical Activities Board) X SAC (Student Activities Committee) Dinner, an event that aims to foster community engagement between current/former Technical Committees (TCs) and students and postdoctoral researchers prior to IROS 2023.

Event Details:
- Date: Saturday, September 30th, 2023 (Note: this is one day before the conference officially begins)
- Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
- Venue: Huntington Place, 1 Washington Boulevard, Detroit, MI 48226
- Dinner: buffet style
- Note: Students must be registered for the conference to attend this event. There are limited slots, which will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

To RSVP, please fill out this form. Please note that the deadline to RSVP is Friday, 15 September 2023 (EoD).


At this gathering, each TC will be seated at designated tables, providing a unique opportunity to interact and engage with your preferred TCs. We are confident that this event will greatly enhance your understanding of the TCs and SAC.

About Technical Committees (TCs):
Technical Committees (TCs) oversee research in the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society; they encourage innovation in various technical areas. RAS’s 45 TCs foster specialized research collaboration; new TCs are formed as emerging topics gain importance. These committees offer valuable opportunities for members to connect and work together within specific subsets of the field.

Learn more about TCs here.

About the Student Activities Committee (SAC):
The Student Activities Committee (SAC) of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society aims to represent students in robotics and automation worldwide. The SAC provides students with opportunities to advance their careers and improve their professional experience. To achieve these goals, SAC organizes events to give students the chance to find high-quality information, as well as to find the best places where robotics innovators and scientists meet to exchange their knowledge and experience.

Learn more about the SAC here.

We look forward to sharing this special moment with you.

Thank you,

Amy Kyungwon Han,
Associate Vice President of Technical Activities Board

Enrica Tricomi,
Chair of the Student Activities Committee

The RAS Media Services Board (MSB) and Student Activities Committee (SAC) are searching for social media ambassadors for the upcoming IROS 2023 conference in Detroit, Michigan, USA. So if you’re a social media–savvy RAS student member planning on attending IROS, apply now! Social Media Ambassadors will receive up to $500 in travel support.

What do we expect? You will meet with the conference publications chair to prepare and post the major announcements before, during, and after the conference. You can apply at this google form.

The RAS leadership is delighted to announce the launch of the IEEE RAS Member Support Program. This pilot program is designed to support the member content creators of RAS mission-related activities.

The application deadline is 31 August 2023 (23:59:59 EDT). For more information, including eligibility and application instructions, click here. For questions, please contact ras-msp@ieee.org.




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