AI meets Robotics... in Europe
A workshop at the European Robotics Forum 2013

Lyon, France, March 19




SYNOPSIS

The fields of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics were strongly
connected in the early days of AI, but became mostly disconnected
later on. While there are several attempts at tackling them together,
these attempts remain isolated points in a landscape whose overall
structure and extent is not clear. Recently, it was suggested that
even the otherwise successful EC program "Cognitive systems and
robotics" was not entirely effective in putting together the two sides
of cognitive systems and of robotics.

We believe that there is a great added value for both the AI and the
Robotic field to reinforce the contact and the synergies between them.
The first "AI meets Robotics" event has been organized last December
in Orebro, Sweden, with the aim to foster and better organize the
convergence between these two fields. This workshop aims at continuing
that work, with an emphasis on the European context.

The discussion will be focused on the added value, both for AI and
robotics researchers, on creating a stronger link between the two
fields. In particular: (1) what are the new scientific questions that
can be generated in each field, (2) what is the mature knowledge and
tool that can be transferred between fields, (3) how can we educate
the next generation of researchers able to truly put AI and robotics
together, and (4) what are the new opportunities in terms of
innovation created by this merger.

FORMAT

The workshop will consist of four parts:

* outline of the results and viewpoint emerged from the previous "AI
meets Robotics" event, and of the goals of this meeting;

* short presentations of relevant projects in EU focused on a common
set of questions which will be distributed before the workshop;

* presentation of the viewpoint of the European Commission about the
integration of AI and Robotics in FP7 Challenge-2 and beyond; and

* open floor discussion aimed at defining a concrete agenda of next
steps toward a tighter integration, at the European level, of AI and
Robotics.

PRACTICALITIES

The European Robotics Forum 2013 will take place on March 19-21 in
Lyon, France, hosted by GdR Robotique and INNOECHO. 400 robotics
researchers from industry and academia, as well as entrepreneurs and
public investors attended last year's Forum to discuss the latest
developments, research challenges and business opportunities for
European robotics.

Participants to this workshop must register to the European Robotics
Forum 2013. See the Forum's web site (www.eurobotics2013.com) for
information on registration, accommodation, and directions.

MORE INFORMATION

Additional and up-to-date information, including the schedule and list
of speakers, is available at the workshop web site:

http://aass.oru.se/Agora/ERF2013/