Plenary Talk Information:

Title: Simple solutions (still) can make it: on soft robot design and control

Speaker: Prof. Concepción Alicia Monje Micharet, University Carlos III of Madrid, Spain.

Abstract:
This talk addresses the application of model-based robust fractional order control to real robotic systems manufactured from soft materials. First of all, simple soft robot designs are addressed, demonstrating their robust and precise performance despite the softness of their bodies. Second, instead of using rigorous models to describe the complex dynamics of these soft robots, the neglected dynamics and possible parameter mismatches are handled by a fractional order control approach. Based on fractional calculus, which implies the generalization of the derivative and integral operators to those of non-integer (fractional) order, fractional order controllers allow the implementation of robust control schemes with a straightforward mathematical definition. These controllers provide a robust performance of the robots due to their superior flexibility, often outperforming their integer counterparts.

Biography:
Prof. C.A. Monje is Full Professor at the University Carlos III of Madrid (UC3M). She has been working in robotics and control for over 20 years. Her work on soft robotics and systems control is internationally recognized. She has actively collaborated with research centers in the United States, France, Germany, Italy, and Singapore. As the Principal Investigator (PI) of the Soft Robotics Laboratory of the UC3M RoboticsLab, with a strong expertise in soft robots prototyping, modelling and control (both model-based and Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques), she has been involved as PI and researcher in numerous European, national and regional competitive projects, transferring her knowledge through company contracts and patents. She has published more than 200 research papers in high impact journals and conferences on control, robotics and AI, with 7000+ cites. Some of her awards and recognitions are: “TALGO Excelencia Profesional de la Mujer en Ingeniería” Award (finalist) (2022, 2023, 2024), “Top 100 Mujeres Líderes en España, Categoría Investigadoras” Award (2020), “Gigante Extremeño” Award (2019); “Ada Byron a la Mujer Tecnóloga de la Universidad de Deusto” Award (2019); “Excelencia Investigadora de la Universidad Carlos III de Madrid” Award (2018); “Mujer y Tecnología de la Fundación Orange” Award (2018).

Title: The Evolution of Robotics Hardware Design through AI Advancements

Speaker: Prof. Shigeki Sugano, Waseda University, Japan.

Abstract:

This presentation explores how advancements in artificial intelligence are transforming the design of robotics hardware. AI enables robots to autonomously generate and optimize movements, which can significantly enhance performance. However, the effectiveness of these capabilities is highly dependent on the underlying hardware design. This talk will delve into the critical relationship between AI systems and hardware architecture in robotics, discussing the optimal approaches for system integration. Attendees will gain insights into the latest trends in AI-driven design and discover best practices for developing hardware that fully leverages AI’s potential.

Biography:

Shigeki Sugano received the BS, MS, and DE degrees in mechanical engineering from Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan, in 1981, 1983, and 1989, respectively. He was a Research Associate with Waseda University from 1986 to 1990. From 1993 to 1994, he was a Visiting Scholar with the Mechanical Engineering Department, Stanford University, USA. Since 1991, he has been a Faculty Member with the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Waseda University, where he is currently a professor. He served as the Dean of the School/ Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering, Waseda University from 2014 to 2020. He served as the Senior Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University from 2020 to2024. He has authored over 200 refereed journal and conference papers. His current research interests include anthropomorphic robot, dexterous manipulator, and human-robot interaction. Dr. Sugano has received many awards including IEEE RAS Distinguished Service Award in 2008, IROS Harashima Award in 2016, the Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in 2017, and Tateisi Prize by the Tateisi Science and Technology Foundation in 2024 . Dr. Sugano is a fellow of the four academic societies, IEEE, the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers (JSME), the Society of Instrument and Control Engineers (SICE), and the Robotics Society of Japan (RSJ). He served as the Secretary of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) from 2006 to 2007. He served as an AdCom Member of the IEEE RAS from 2008 to 2013. He served as the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Advanced Robotics from 2007 to 2012. He served as the General Chair of the IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (AIM) in 2003, and the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) in 2013. From 2001 to 2010, he served as the President of the Japan Association for Automation Advancement. From 2017 to 2018, he served as the President of SICE. Since 2023, he serves as the President of RSJ.

Title: Adaptive Robotic Systems in Unknown and Uncertain Environments

Speaker: Prof. Jing Xiao, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, USA.

Abstract: 

To enable robots to operate in unknown and uncertain environments requires not only research of important capabilities such as perception, reasoning, planning, learning, control, and actuation, but tight system integration of the respective hardware and software components to perform in real time. In this talk, I will present our work of a few robotic systems operating in unknown or uncertain environments on autonomous robotic fine manipulation of unknown objects, autonomous exploration and visual coverage of unknown space, and autonomous search of semantic objects in unknown environments, highlighting the importance of system integration.

Biography:

Jing Xiao is the Deans’ Excellence Professor, William B. Smith Distinguished Fellow in Robotics Engineering, Professor and Head of the Robotics Engineering Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). She received her PhD in Computer, Information, and Control Engineering from the University of Michigan. She joined WPI as the Director of the Robotics Engineering Program in 2018 from the Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where she received the College of Computing Outstanding Faculty Research Award in 2015. She led the Robotics Engineering Program to become the first full-fledged Robotics Engineering Department in the U.S. in July 2020. She is the Site Director of NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center on Robots and Sensors for Human Well-being (ROSE-HUB) at WPI. She also served as the U.S. National Science Foundation Program Director for the Robotics and Human Augmentation Program. Her research spans robotics, haptics, multi-modal perception, and artificial intelligence, with two highly related themes: one is the focus on “contact sport”, i.e., the contact and interaction between a robot or a part it holds and the environment, and the other is real-time adaptiveness of robots to uncertainty and uncertain changes in an environment based on perception and learning. Jing Xiao is an Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Robotics. She is an IEEE Fellow. She is a recipient of the 2022 IEEE Robotics and Automation Society George Saridis Leadership Award in Robotics and Automation.