Khalifa University of Science and Technology today announced that the 36th edition of the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2024), to be held in Abu Dhabi, will feature the 'Robotics in Africa' Forum. This forum will highlight the continent's remarkable progress in research and innovation, and release a status report on the robotics sector in Africa.

IROS is being hosted in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region for the first time, under the theme ‘Robotics for Sustainable Development’. The conference will take place from 14th-18th October 2024 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), bringing together researchers, academics, leading corporate figures, and industry professionals from around the world. The 'Robotics in Africa' Forum, scheduled for 16th October 2024, will explore opportunities for robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications, foster networking, and highlight the impact of research and development in Africa. In total, 13 forums will be organised during IROS 2024.

Dr. Jorge Dias, General Chair of IROS 2024 and Director of the Khalifa University Center for Autonomous Robotics Systems (KU-CARS), said, "IROS 2024 gathers participants from academia, government, and industry stakeholders, and the 'Robotics in Africa' Forum will provide an ideal platform to showcase the state of robotics in the continent, from cutting-edge research to practical industrial applications, education, and training. It will also offer robotics enthusiasts in Africa an opportunity to engage with the global robotics community. The status report on robotics in Africa will outline the major achievements across various segments within robotics and explore technology solutions to address the challenges facing the sector."

The forum's agenda will include two keynote talks, poster presentations, and a panel discussion covering various aspects of robotics.

Speakers at the forum will include Dr. Paul Amayo, Senior Lecturer and Principal Investigator in the African Robotics Unit at the University of Cape Town; Dr. David Vernon, Technical Mentor at the Carnegie Mellon University Africa-Industry Innovation Lab (IIL); Marwa A. ElDiwiny, PhD researcher and host of the IEEE RAS Soft Robotics Podcast; Ndivhuwo Makondo, Research Scientist in Machine Learning at IBM Research, South Africa Lab; and Chinwe Ekenna from the University at Albany.

Other notable participants include Chinwe Ekenna from the University at Albany, Kenechukwu C. Mbanisi from Olin College of Engineering, Simeon Adebola from the University of California, Berkeley, and Addisu Taddese from Intrinsic.