Robotics conference kicks off in Shanghai

A robot folds a towel during the 2011 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA 2011) in Shanghai on Monday. [Photo/Xinhua]

SHANGHAI - Researchers on robotics around the world gathered in Shanghai Monday to share their recent findings at the 2011 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA 2011).

The event marks the first time that the world's top conference of its kind, organized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), takes place in the Chinese mainland since 1984 when the first session of ICRA was held in Atlanta.

At the New Orleans ICRA conference in 2004, China won the right to host this year's 28th ICRA conference. The theme for ICRA 2011 is "Better Robot, Better Life."

More than 1,500 people from the global academic and business circles are slated to attend the conference which will last from May 9 to 13.

World's leading companies in robotics and automation, including ABB, YASKAWA, KUKA, and WILLOW, have exhibited recently developed products.

The theme of ICRA 2011 indicates that robots have been closely related to people's daily lives and China's hosting of the conference will be a bridge to enhance scientific cooperation between China and other countries, Yan Junqi, vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, said at the opening ceremony.

Shanghai Jiaotong University, co-sponsor of ICRA 2011, displays the "Sea Dragon" Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), which can dive to a depth of 3,500 meters in the ocean for tasks such as filming and collecting samples.

Besides the exhibition of robots, ICRA 2011 also includes more than 30 workshops and tutorials. Nearly 1,000 papers have been handed in and six specific forums will be held during the five-day conference.

Ouyang Ziyuan, China's chief scientist on lunar exploration program, introduced the country's Chang-E exploration project in his speech at the opening ceremony, saying China might start exploring Mars and Venus with the help of robots, as the United States is doing.