The 36th edition of the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2024) was successfully concluded in Abu Dhabi yesterday.
The event recorded nearly 10,000 visitors, delegates, and participants in attendance, emphatically raising Abu Dhabi’s profile as a global destination for robotics and artificial intelligence.
Researchers, academics, scientists and regulatory stakeholders were present as speakers in various capacities. They inspired guests and visitors with their impactful plenary talks, keynote sessions, and individual poster and oral presentations at IROS 2024.
The five-day conference and exhibition also witnessed a host of new technology demonstrations in various challenges and competitions across the fields of applied research in robotics and intelligent systems, captivating the audience for their global appeal and reach.
Dr. Jorge Manuel Dias, General Chair, IROS 2024 spoke about the success of the event. He said, “MENA region’s first-ever IROS 2024 turned out to be a massive success in all areas. This includes the record number of delegates and visitors, the number of innovations that were presented through research papers, the technology demonstrations at the expo, and the massive interest generated for talent hunting that resulted in robotics experts from across the spectrum gathering for the event.
“The enthusiasm and the topics of general discussions created by IROS 2024 will linger in our minds for a long time in this region, more specifically for scientific exploration and business collaborations.
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“We thank all the sponsors, especially the government stakeholders who supported us in getting IROS 2024 to Abu Dhabi, as well as all the partners who have made this a grand success.”
On 18 October, the plenary session was delivered by Dr. Magnus Egerstedt, Dean of the Henry Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Irvine, US, who focused on ‘From Coordination to Collaboration in Multi-Robot Systems: Lessons from Ecology’, providing insights into deploying multi-robot systems that could lead to new capabilities and skill-sets.
The Keynote Session on ‘Robotic Competitions’ was moderated by Dr. Lakmal Seneviratne, Director, Center for Robotics and Autonomous Systems, and Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Khalifa University. Speakers included Pedro U. Lima, Full Professor, Institute for Systems and Robotics, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Portugal, who focused on ‘Robot Competitions in Europe: European Robotics League and EuROBIN Coopetitions’, and Dr. Timothy Chung, General Manager, Autonomy and Robotics, Microsoft, US, who highlighted the salient features of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Challenges.
Professor Thomas McCarthy, Executive Director ASPIRE, UAE, spoke about ‘Grand Challenges as a Mechanism to Hasten Translation from Lab to Market’, while Dr. Ubbo Visser, President, RoboCup Federation, Director of Graduate Studies & Associate Professor of Computer Science, University of Miami, US, also shared his perspectives.
In all, more than 500 research papers were presented on the last day, including Pitch Oral Sessions and selected submissions.
More information at https://iros2024-abudhabi.org/
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