CAST Newsletter No. 45 Special Issue for World Robot Conference 2024 fosters new quality productive forces for a shared intelligent future
From August 21 to 25, the World Robot Conference 2024 was held in Beijing under the theme “Co-Fostering New Quality Productive Forces for a Shared Intelligent Future.” Co-hosted by the Chinese Institute of Electronics (CIE) and the World Robot Cooperation Organization (WRCO), the conference brought cutting-edge technologies, industry trends, and innovative achievements together in a single space. It conducted in-depth exploration of the emerging trends and opportunities brought by the integration of artificial intelligence and robotics. Over 1,000 participants attended the opening ceremony including CAST President Wan Gang and Executive Vice President Meng Qinghai as well as leaders of relevant international organizations, experts, scholars, and industry representatives from China and abroad.
At the opening ceremony, Xin Guobin, Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology of China, Jin Wei, Vice Mayor of Beijing, Marina Bill, President of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), and Alois C. Knoll, Professor at the Technical University of Munich, delivered speeches. Qiao Hong, President of the World Robot Cooperation Organization (WRCO), presented a report outlining the 10 trends of humanoid robots.
On August 22, 2024, Juha Röning, euRobotics’ Vice President of Research, delivered a keynote speech titled “European Robotics: Entering the Era of AI.” He shared insights on the ongoing challenges faced by robotic systems. From a mechanical engineering perspective, the field has achieved a high level of standardization. However, in terms of modern systems and software architecture, seamless “plug-and-play” integration is still far from reality. In contrast to mechanical engineering, computer science has a much lower degree of standardization, and simply combining functional components seldom works. In artificial intelligence, standardization is even more limited. However, large-scale initiatives are already underway to address this issue. As we strive to create machines that are both safe and reliable, it is crucial to define the necessary standards and explore how to ensure efficient and reliable system operation. This includes testing, validation, and research into system quality metrics--all of which are essential tasks that must be addressed in the near future.
On August 22, 2024, Shigeki Sugano, President of the Robotics Society of Japan (RSJ), delivered a speech titled “Current Situation and Trends of Japanese Robot Technology and Industry.” He emphasized that many experts believe that artificial intelligence is key to developing the next generation of general purpose robots. By integrating AI with hardware and various types of public information, intelligent hardware entities can foster a symbiotic relationship between humans and machines. A crucial point is that humans are always the end users, making safety and high performances essential concerns. While humanoid robots are already on the market, most are unable to effectively support human activities due to insufficient performance. In the future, robots will need to be able to support humans, which requires them to have higher performance while ensuring safety.
On August 22, 2024, Sergej Fatikow, Professor at the University of Oldenburg and Chair of the Micro/Nano Robotics and Automation Technical Committee of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (IEEE RAS), gave a talk titled “High-Precision Microrobotics for Industrial Applications.” He emphasized that the primary goal of high-precision microrobots is to achieve extremely accurate actuation, sensing, and manufacturing at the nanoscale level. The size of these robots is a critical factor in driving research into nanomaterials, biomaterials, membranes, and other related components. These microrobots are sometimes used in bioengineering or cellular surgery, using ultra-miniature surgical tools. In this regard, China has demonstrated significant potential, with over 50 laboratories now conducting research in this field. Fatikow expressed pleasure at witnessing such progress, noting that such studies tend to make significant contributions to society.
For more detailed information, please click here to download CAST Newsletter No. 45.pdf.