Special Sessions
The conference features special sessions focusing on new research topics and innovative applications. Papers in these sessions undergo a regular review process as those in general sessions. A special session has to contain at least four papers. Prospective organizers are invited to contact special session chairs to propose tracks with the title of the session, its scope, list of topics, and organizer names, by March 14, 2016. Each special session may have an invited talk as well. If the organizer(s) is(are) interested in an invited talk, please contact the special session chair (Kazuyoshi Wada, k_wada@tmu.ac.jp) and program co-chair (Janos Botzheim, botzheim@tmu.ac.jp).
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Special Sessions (Approved by March 4th, 2016): Please contact the special session organizer(s), if you have any question on the topics of individual special session. |
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SS-01: |
Welfare and Rehabilitation Robotics |
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Organizer: |
Lundy Lewis, Southern New Hampshire University, USA Takuya Hashimoto, The University of Electro-Communications, Japan |
SS-02: |
Computer Vision for Robotics |
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Organizers: |
Ryad Chellali, Nanjing Robotics Institute, Nanjing Tech University, China Wai Lam Hoo, University of Malaya, Malaysia Napoleon Reyes, Massey University, New Zealand Chee Seng Chan, University of Malaya, Malaysia |
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Scope: |
Vision plays an essential role in human life especially in understanding the surrounding environment. In computer vision, digital images have been utilized to learn the visual surrounding concepts with the help of machine learning and computational intelligence algorithms. However, researches that apply state-of-the-art computer vision algorithms in robotics applications are still fairly limited, as different robotics applications have different mechanical settings and challenges. Objectives and Topics: This special session invites new research in computer vision domain that is applicable in robotics applications. In particular, we encourage researchers to integrate state-of-the-art computer vision algorithms from top-tiered conferences and journals (e.g. PAMI, ICCV, CVPR, ECCV, NIPS) to current robotics environment. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: - Humanoid Robot Vision - Human-Robot Interaction - Robotics Navigation - Object Detection and Recognition for Robotics Applications - Image Classification and Scene Understanding for Robotics Applications - Vision-Based Control and Manipulation in Robotics - Motion Analysis and Tracking - Visual SLAM - Face and Gesture - Advanced Image Features and Descriptors for Robotics Applications - Machine Learning Techniques - Computational Intelligence - Human Pose Estimation - Image Processing and Pattern Recognition for Robotics Applications |
SS-03: |
Interactive Intelligence |
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Organizer: |
Kosuke Sekiyama, Nagoya University, Japan |
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Scope: |
Interaction is a source of intelligent behavior, where the interaction is seen among the autonomous agents, between a robot and its facing environment, and some implicit interactions may play an essential role. This organized session pursues the designs of interaction which will produce a functional structure in physical mechanism, dynamics property, and information configuration space, allowing the robots to exhibit a rational behavior. Instead of focusing on specific application aspects, we would like to open the discussion on what kinds of interaction will configure a structural change required for an intelligent behavior. List of topic: - Swarm intelligence - Multi-agent systems - Cognitive interactive systems - Adaptive learning systems (Any related topics including a system of interaction mechanism.) |
SS-04: |
Bio-Inspired Robotics and Soft Robotics |
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Organizers: |
Taro Nakamura, Chuo University, Japan Shunji Moromugi, Chuo University, Japan Yasuyuki Yamada, Chuo University, Japan |
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Scope: |
This session is focused on “Bio-Inspired Robot” designed based on various creatures, and “Soft Robotics” that includes development of artificial muscle actuators, soft sensors and control strategies. The creatures that includes humans have evolved while adapting to each environment. The developed Robots based on these creatures is expected to play an important role in the near future in the various fields. On the other hand, motions and structures of these creatures including function of human are much softer than that of conventional industrial robots. Hence, from point of view of the systems in which humans and robots cooperate in order to perform an activity, the motion and the structure should be considered to such robot system. This special session is dedicated to present the innovative researches of robotic systems for the next generation. In this session, all aspects of Robotics and Mechatronics are welcome. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: - Bio-inspired Robot and Bio-logical Systems - Field robotics based on bio-mechatronics - Artificial Muscle Actuator and Control Strategy - Soft Sensor and Applications Soft Mechatronic Systems - Human Assist Systems - Soft Robotic and Automation Systems - Virtual Reality Systems; Medical and Rehabilitation Systems - Agricultural and Bio-Systems |
SS-05: |
Cognitive Robotics |
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Organizers: |
Gerald Steinbauer, Graz University of Technology, Austria Alexander Ferrein, University of Applied Sciences, Germany Chu Kiong Loo, University of Malaya, Malaysia Chee Kau Lim, University of Malaya, Malaysia |
SS-06: |
Robot Sensing |
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Organizers: |
Futoshi Kobayashi, Kobe University, Japan Hiroyuki Nakamoto, Kobe University, Japan |
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Scope: |
We will be able to solicit 4-5 papers for this special session. |
SS-07: |
Modeling and Control of Smart Material Based Systems |
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Organizers: |
Xinlong Zhao, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, China Lianwei Ma, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, China Guo-Ying Gu, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China Xiuyu Zhang, Northeast Dianli University, China Zhi Li, Eindhoven University of Technology, Netherlands |
SS-08: |
Human Support Robotics |
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Organizers: |
Hiroyuki Masuta, Toyama Prefectural University, Japan Tatsuo Motoyoshi, Toyama Prefectural University, Japan |
SS-09: |
Special Environment Navigation and Localization Techniques |
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Organizer: |
Jangmyung Lee, Pusan National University, S. KOREA |
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Scope: |
In this organized session, the navigation and localization techniques will be discussed inculding the underwater, air and outdoor envirenment. For the autonomous vehicles, the successful navigation requires a precise localization and control. For this point of view, in this session, several techniques related to the navigation and localization will be discussed. This includes not only the land vehicles but also aerial and underwater vehicles. Basically, for this navigation and localization, there requires suitable sensors and control algorithms also. With all these incorporation, the mobile robot or unmanned vehicle may navigate in a special environment for the requested services. |
SS-10: |
Bio-mechatronics and its Application in Bionic Dexterous Hand |
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Organizers: |
Xiangyang Zhu, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China Xinjun Sheng, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China |
SS-11: |
Application for the Human Data |
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Organizer: |
Kentaro Kurashige, Muroran Institute of Technology, Japan |
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Scope: |
Various devices have been improved and emerging, and it becomes easier to collect human data in daily life,in medical practices or in the field of education. Accordingly, data handling methods have continued to progress. The existing methodologies such as statistical methods or learning methods have been improved, and the methodologies based on new paradigms have been developed. This session aims to gather and share contrivance about the way to collect, process and output human data. Topics of interest for the special session includes as follows: - Big-data Analysis - Condition Monitoring - Data Acquisition Systems - Data mining - Embedded System Technologies - Evolutionary Computations - Human-machine interaction - Identification and Estimation - Instrumentation and Measurement - IoT-aware Computation - Machine Learning - Medical Informatics - Medical Diagnosis - Pattern Recognition - Precision Measuring Technologies - Sensor fusion - Sensor systems - Signal Processing - Visualization |
SS-12: |
Mechatronics Systems for Nondestructive Testing |
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Organizers: |
Daigo Kosaka, Polytechnic University, Japan Yuuji Goto, Oita University, Japan |
SS-13: |
Sensors and Monitoring in Environmental and Agricultural Sciences |
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Organizers: |
Shinji Fukuda, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan Jeffrey Tuhtan, Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia Wolfram Spreer, Chiang Mai University/Universitat Hohenheim, Thailand Marcus Nagle, Universitat Hohenheim, Germany Eriko Yasunaga, The University of Tokyo, Japan |
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Scope: |
Biodiversity conservation and its sustainable use has been set as a target in sustainable development goals (SDGs) of United Nations, in which balancing human activities with biodiversity conservation is the key for success. Biodiversity consists of three levels, namely ecosystems, species and genes. This is the basis of complex, hierarchical structures of biodiversity originated from many ways of interactions between biological components. In addition, physical environment and ecosystems therein interact each other dynamically in both space and time. For instance, some fish species uses different habitats according to life stages (e.g., spawning, wintering, feeding, etc.) and migrate a long distance to fulfill its life cycle. Such behavioral changes, in many cases, are driven by environmental conditions such as flow depth, temperature and day length. In contrast, agriculture is a controlled and managed practice for food production. However, crops interact with biophysical environment such as soils, water and pests, which forms one of the major biodiversity components, namely agroecosystems. Agroecosystems may be more complex compared to natural ecosystems due to human intervention (e.g., management practices for maximizing crop yields) at multiple spatial and temporal scales. To cope with such a complexity, precise and detailed measurement is needed for a better understanding of target agricultural and environmental systems. Recent advances of innovative measurement techniques allow for acquisition of different kinds of data from fine to large spatiotemporal scales, and have been successfully applied in different areas of research. This special session provides a forum for researchers and professionals working on development and/or applications of sensing and measurement methods for contributions to sustainable agriculture and environmental management. The topics of this special session are, but not limited to, the following: - Photogrammetry and its applications - Sensors and sensing for real-time monitoring - Non-destructive measurement and monitoring - Underwater measurement for environmental monitoring |
SS-14: |
Kukanchi |
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Organizers: |
Kazuyoshi Wada, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan Eri Sato-Shimokawara, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan |
SS-15: |
Rehabilitation / Motion Assist Robots |
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Organizer: |
Kazuo Kiguchi, Kyushu University, Japan |
SS-16: |
Social - Cognitive Architectures and Systems for Social Robots |
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Organizers: |
Kayo Sakamoto, Institute of High Performance Computing, Singapore Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore Kenneth Kwok, Institute of High Performance Computing, Singapore Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore |
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Scope: |
A social robot interacts and communicates with humans or other autonomous physical agents by following social behaviors and rules attached to its role. In order to perform its function, the robot needs to understand its user’s social - cognitive characteristics or states such as motivation, intention, needs, emotion, or personality, etc. In other words, it needs to build psychologically in-depth user models, and such model acquisition often requires established theoretical frameworks of Social, Cognitive or Psychological sciences. The purpose of this special session is to offer a common platform for robotics researchers and cognitive/ social scientists to exchange their ideas, requirements, and case studies in application of cognitive architectures, psychosocial systems or other related social-cognitive, theoretical or computational frameworks to social robotics for its personalised communication and services. Topic of interest: (but not limited to) (Areas of application for social - cognitive architectures and systems) - User modeling for social robots - Personalised communication and services by social robots - Social robots for elderly care - Social robots for social and community services - Social robots for people with disabilities - Social robots and intention detection (Examples of social - cognitive architectures and systems to apply to social robots) - Cognitive architectures of ACT-R Commonsense Reasoning Causal reasoning and learning Decision making Problem solving Education Language processing - Psychosocial systems of Human values Psychological needs Personality Emotion Motivation Intention Attitude Culture |
SS-17: |
Robot Mechanism |
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Organizer: |
Naoyuki Takesue, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan |