[robotics-worldwide] WAFR 2010 call for papers (invited speakers confirmed)

[David Hsu]

9th International Workshop on the Algorithmic Foundations of Robotics  
(WAFR)
December 13-15, 2010
Singapore
http://www.wafr.org/

AIM AND SCOPE

The International Workshop on the Algorithmic Foundations of Robotics  
(WAFR) is a single-track workshop devoted to recent advances on  
algorithmic problems in robotics. The workshop proceedings will be  
published in a hardcover volume in the Springer STAR series, and  
selected papers will be invited for publication in a special issue of  
the International Journal of Robotics Research. WAFR 2010 will return  
to the format of the early WAFRs and place strong emphasis on  
interactions and discussions among participants.

Robot algorithms are a fundamental component of robotic systems. These  
algorithms process inputs from sensors that provide noisy and partial  
data, build geometric and physical models of the world, plan high-and  
low-level actions at different time horizons, and execute these  
actions on actuators with limited precision.  The design and analysis  
of robot algorithms raise a unique combination of questions from many  
fields, including control theory, computational geometry and topology,  
geometrical and physical modeling, reasoning under uncertainty,  
probabilistic algorithms, game theory, and theoretical computer science.


INVITED SPEAKERS

Leonida Guibas, Stanford University
Leslie Kaelbling, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Jean-Pierre Merlet, INRIA Sophia Antipolis
Jose del Millan, EPFL
Yoshihiko Nakamura, University of Tokyo
Moshe Shoham, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology


WORKSHOP Co-CHAIRS

David Hsu, National University of Singapore
Volkan Isler, University of Minnesota
Jean-Claude Latombe, Stanford University
Ming C. Lin, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill


Program Committee

Srinivas Akella, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Joel Burdick, California Institute of Technology
Dan Halperin, Tel Aviv University
Seth Hutchinson, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Jean-Paul Laumond, LAAS-CNRS
Stephane Redon, INRIA
Daniela Rus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Katsu Yamane, Disney Research & Carnegie Mellon University


TOPICS

The focus of WAFR is on the design and analysis of robot algorithms  
from both theoretical and practical angles. The topics of interest are  
very broad. We encourage papers on fundamental algorithmic issues,  
such as complexity, completeness, machine learning, probabilistic  
reasoning, and new programming paradigms, to name a few. We also  
encourage papers on applications of robot algorithms to important or  
new domains, such as manufacturing, legged locomotion, distributed  
robotics, human-robot interaction, surgical robots, intelligent  
prosthetics, and brain-controlled robots. Furthermore, robot  
algorithms are being applied in domains beyond the traditional scope  
of robotics, e.g., computational biology, computer animation, sensor  
networks, etc. Papers on these topics are also welcomed.


FORMAT

WAFR 2010 will adopt a format that places strong emphasis on  
interactions and discussions among participants. The technical program  
will consist of six invited papers for 1-hour presentations, roughly  
six 1-hour presentation and twelve 1/2-hour presentations selected  
from contributed papers. All papers will be made available on-line  
prior to the workshop. Each presentation will be followed by ample  
time for discussion. All accepted papers have the same page limit in  
the published proceedings. The Program Committee will determine on the  
length of presentations for the accepted papers.  The goal will be to  
encourage interesting and constructive discussions throughout the  
workshop.


IMPORTANT DATES

* Paper submission deadline July 9, 2010
* Notification of acceptance September 14, 2010
* Camera-ready version due October 14, 2010 		
* Workshop in Singapore December 13-15, 2010