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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240222
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240223
DTSTAMP:20251217T131451Z
CREATED:20251211T145935Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251217T131451Z
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SUMMARY:BrIAS Sustainable Robotics Seminar 5
DESCRIPTION:1. Prof. Yael Edan\, Professor\, ABC Robotics initiative (BrIAS Senior Fellow)\n\n\n\nTitle: “Social Assistive Robots for Elder Care: R&D Findings”\n\n\n\nThe world’s population is aging rapidly\, and the number of older adults is projected to increase dramatically in the years to come along. However\, the population of caregivers does not increase at a similar rate\, leading to an increased need in developing solutions that will assist the older adults. A possible solution to bridge this eldercare gap is the use of social assistive robots (SARs). However\, introducing SARs to support older adults comes with inherent interaction challenges: older adults perceptual challenges and their particular needs and expectations\, transparency in interaction\, function allocation in human–robot tasks\, autonomy balance between the older adults and the SAR to ensure engagement of the older adult while interacting with the robot\, and integrating social aspects in the interaction to ensure robot acceptance by the older adult. I will present a series of human-centric studies in which we took a holistic approach taking into account the robot\, the task and the environment and guidelines for improved interaction in design of SARs for older adults. Specifically\, we developed and evaluated: 1) user-centered feedback considering feedback content\, modalities\, and timing options 2) levels of automation/autonomy using a function allocation model 3) a framework that linked levels of transparency with levels of autonomy  4) a transparency based action model and 5) polite and understanding robots. An overview of this research conducted to enhance interaction in different robotic platforms\, tasks\, and scenarios for the support of older adults will be presented. Additional work using a mixed methods approach has been directed to understand the factors affecting older adults’ quality evaluation of SARS for successful acceptance and assimilation. \n\n\n\n2. Prof.  Barry Lennox\, Professor\, University of Manchester\, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering\, UK (BrIAS Senior Fellow).\n\n\n\nTitle: “Use of Robots to Support Sustainable Nuclear Energy”\n\n\n\nThere is a growing demand from industry for robotic systems that can be deployed into extreme environments for very long periods of time\, with little or no maintenance. Such robots have the potential to deliver considerable benefits across multiple sectors\, including space\, nuclear and infrastructure. The focus of this presentation will be on some of the robotic challenges that are faced in the nuclear sector\, where robots are essential if nuclear power (fission and fusion) is to be harnessed in the future. Details will be provided of some of the robots that have been developed at the University of Manchester\, and deployed into radioactive environments. \n\n\n\n3. Dr. Michel Joop van der Schoor\, Post-Doc\, Brubotics/Fari\, VUB (BrIAS Junior Fellow)\n\n\n\nTitle: “Sustainability in the design of urban service robots”\n\n\n\nThe concept of sustainability and sustainable development has been well discussed and was subject to many conferences of the EU and UN resulting in agendas\, goals\, and resolutions. Yet\, literature shows that the three dimensions of sustainability (ecological\, social\, and economic) are unevenly accounted for in the design of mechatronic products. The stated reasons range from a lack or inapplicability of tools for integration into the design process\, models for simulation\, and impact analyses to necessary changes in policy and social behavior. The influence designers have on the sustainability of a product lies mostly in the early design phases of the development process\, such as requirements engineering and concept evaluation. Currently\, these concepts emerge mostly from performance-based requirements rather than sustainability impact-based requirements\, which are also true for service robots in urban environments. So far\, the main focus of research in this innovative and growing product branch lies in performance in perception\, navigation\, and interaction. In my PhD I focused on the integration of all three dimensions of sustainability into the design process. Therefore\, I describe the development of an urban service robot supporting municipal waste management in the city of Berlin. It is the set goal for the robot to increase the service and support the employees while reducing emissions. For that\, I make use of a product development process (PDP) and its adaptable nature to build a specific development process suited to include the three dimensions of sustainability during the requirements engineering and evaluation activities. Herein\, I show which aspects are underrepresented. Especially\, the social dimension required me to look beyond standardized methods in the field of mechanical engineering. Based on my findings\, I introduce a new activity to the development process that I call preliminary social assessment in order to incorporate social aspects in the early design phase. \n\n\n\nFor the teams link\, or in-person participation\, registration is required. Coffee and tea will be served. \n\n\n\nThis Seminar will also be livestreamed on our Youtube channel @BrIAStalks
URL:https://brias.be/event/brias-sustainable-robotics-seminar-5/
LOCATION:VUB AIXC\, Pleinlaan 9\, Floor -1\, Ixelles\, 1050\, Belgium
CATEGORIES:Programme Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240215
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240217
DTSTAMP:20251227T141503Z
CREATED:20251227T135851Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251227T141503Z
UID:2779-1707955200-1708127999@brias.be
SUMMARY:BrIAS Forum: Robotics in Agriculture - Where we are\, where we are going.
DESCRIPTION:General Chair : Emanuele Garone (ULB) \nProgram Chair: Luca Rossini (ULB) \nProgram Committee: Frederic Francis (ULg)\, Raphael Junkers (UCL)\, Francesco Lamonaca (University of Calabria)\, Mario Contarini (University of Tuscia)\, Carl Morch (FARI)\, Yael Edan (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev) \nDescription\nCurrently most agricultural control action (fertilisation\, irrigation\, plant protections\, weeding\, harvesting\, etc.) are based on scarcely sampled measurements and are performed homogeneously over large portions of the farm. “Precision Agriculture” aims at overcoming this limitation by performing actions only where and when they are effectively needed. Robotics is one of the key technologies to support the technical challenges of precision agriculture. In this forum worldwide experts will approach the topic from different points of view\, providing an overview of the current state of the art and future challenges of robotics in Agriculture. \n\n\nPROGRAMME DAY 1\n09:00 -09:30 Registration and Coffee \n  \n09:30 – 10:00 Opening speech \n\nBrIAS directors and Programme Directors\n\n10:00 – 12:30 Session 1: Different points of view about robotics in AgriFood  (11:00 – 11:30 Coffee Break) \nSpeakers: \n\nProf. Andrea Gasparri and Dr. Martina Lippi (Università degli Studi “Roma Tre”\, Italy)\nProf. Valerio Cristofori (Università degli Studi della Tuscia\, Italy)\n\n12:30 – 14:00 Lunch \n  \n14:00 – 15:30 Session 2: Historical and Societal aspect of Robotics and Mechanization in Agriculture \nSpeakers: \n\nProf. John Martin (University of Reading\, UK)\n\n15:30 – 16:15 Coffee Break \n  \n16:15 – 17:45 Session 3: Robotics for Agriculture \nSpeakers: \n\nProf. Lorenzo Marconi (University of Bologna\, Italy)\nDr. Bas Boom (One Planet\, Netherlands)\nProf. Yael Edan (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev\, Israel)\n\nPROGRAMME DAY 2\n09:00 – 10:30 Session 4: Robotics for Agriculture \nSpeakers: \n\nProf. Fabrizio Dabbene (CNR – IEIIT\, Italy)\n\n10:30 – 11:00 Coffee break \n  \n11:00 – 12:30 Session 5: Sustainable Pest Management: The problem of Sensing\, the need for modeling \nSpeakers: \n\nProf. Stefano Speranza and Dr. Mario Contarini (Universita degli Studi della Tuscia\, Italy)\nProf. Francesco Lamonaca (Universita degli Studi della Calabria\, Italy)\nDr. Luca Rossini (ULB)\n\n12:30 – 14:00 Lunch \n  \n14:00 – 16:00 Session 6: Robotics for Insects\, Insects for Robotics \nSpeakers: \n\nProf Emanuele Garone (ULB)\nDr. Nico Bono-Rossello (Universite de Namur/Sciensano)\nMateij Karasek (Flapper Drones\, Czech Republic)\nProf. Marco Dorigo (ULB/FNRS)\n\n16:10: Closing \n\nFor in-person attendance\, as well as online attendance of the webinar\, registration is necessary. Please register for both days or choose one of the days by filling out the registration form.\nThis Forum will also be live-streamed on our Youtube channel @BrIAStalks
URL:https://brias.be/event/brias-forum-robotics-in-agriculture-where-we-are-where-we-are-going/
LOCATION:FARI Institute\, Cantersteen 16\, Brussels\, 1000\, Belgium
CATEGORIES:Programme Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240208
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240209
DTSTAMP:20251217T131433Z
CREATED:20251211T145559Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251217T131433Z
UID:2591-1707350400-1707436799@brias.be
SUMMARY:BrIAS Sustainable Robotics Seminar 4
DESCRIPTION:1. Dr. Louis Flynn\, Brubotics\, VUB.\nTitle: “Lower limb Assistive Technologies – Prostheses and Exoskeletons”\nThe VUB has designed many lower-limb assistive devices including exoskeletons and prostheses. This talk will outline previous devices that we have built and the current design and control work on our lower-limb prosthesis that we will bring to CYBATHLON later this year. \n2.  Parham H.A. Mohamadi\,  PhD researcher\, Brubotics\, VUB.\nTitle: “Battery and Energy Management in Robotics”\nCoping with energy storage limitations\, efficiency\, autonomy\, and safety challenges in robotic missions\, as well as dealing with the reduction of energy capacity due to battery degradation over time\, highlights the importance of energy management in robotic systems. The primary role of the energy management system in a robotic system is to ensure efficient\, reliable\, and sustainable energy usage. This is crucial because a robot’s performance and autonomy depend on how effectively it manages its resources. Context-aware energy management refers to an advanced approach for managing energy resources\, where the system dynamically adjusts its configurations based on the context of its operation. This means the robot’s energy management system considers various environmental and operational factors to optimize energy consumption and efficiency. Advanced context-aware energy management systems are also self-aware and can understand their patterns of energy consumption and operational efficiency. For example\, they account for maintenance needs like optimal battery recharging\, which results in prolonging battery lifespan and enhancing the overall sustainability of the robot. \n3.  Dr. Pablo Lopez Garcia\, Post-doc\, Brubotics\, VUB.\nTitle:  “Gearboxes: Powering the robot’s mobility”\nGearboxes are at the core of a robot’s ability to move. As late advancements in AI seem to be progressively removing the cognitive barrier to the deployment of robots that can safely interact with humans\, robotic engineers now realize that hardware limitations may become the blocking element in that path. \n\nFor the teams link\, or in-person participation\, registration is required. Coffee and tea will be served. \nThis Seminar will also be livestreamed on our Youtube channel @BrIAStalks \n\nLocation:\nVUB Campus Etterbeek\nAI Experience Centre (AIXC)\nPleinlaan 9\, floor -1 \n 
URL:https://brias.be/event/brias-sustainable-robotics-seminar-4/
LOCATION:VUB AIXC\, Pleinlaan 9\, Floor -1\, Ixelles\, 1050\, Belgium
CATEGORIES:Programme Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240201
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240202
DTSTAMP:20251217T131418Z
CREATED:20251211T144745Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251217T131418Z
UID:2585-1706745600-1706831999@brias.be
SUMMARY:BrIAS Sustainable Robotics Seminar 3
DESCRIPTION:1. Prof.  Leonardo Cappello\, Assistant Professor\, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies\, Pisa\, Italy.\nTitle: ” Transcending the paradigm of wearing a robot – The MusculoSkeletal Expansion”\nPeople who suffer from severe muscle weakness of the (upper) limb following neurological disorders still struggle to find assistive technologies able to help them in their daily lives. The most advanced technologies consist of wearable exoskeletons\, either rigid or soft\, that promise to support the wearer during daily living. Despite their great potential\, the widespread adoption of exoskeletons where they are most needed – i.e.\, for continuous daily home assistance – is prevented by several flaws: limited efficiency\, controllability\, and lack of reliable ways to connect them to the user. With my project MUSE (MusculoSkeletal Expansion) I aim to abandon the paradigm of wearing an exoskeleton to develop and clinically assess soft external muscles (exomuscles) intimately connected and naturally controlled by the user. The core objective is to develop innovative efficient exomuscles to support people with severe muscle weakness. They will be developed by combining the extreme portability of pneumatic actuators made of textiles with the energy efficiency and promptness of non-linear elastic structures. They will be reliably connected to the user through fixtures implanted on the bones\, which will grant the excellent mechanical stability of osseointegration\, widely adopted in dental prosthetics and increasingly explored in limb prosthetics\, but still unexplored in exoskeletons. This approach will unlock the potential of eliciting osseoperception\, i.e.\, sensory feedback – necessary to control motion – through bone conduction. MUSE will benefit all those in need of sensorimotor augmentation\, as it can be extended to all kinds of exoskeletons (from upper to lower limbs\, from assistive to augmenting devices). \n2. Zemerart Asani\, PhD Researcher; Brubotics/VUB – SAAS/ULB\nTitle: “Cooperative control of two robotic agents with complementary capabilities for heavy construction tasks”\nMulti-agent robotic systems are advantageous when advanced mobility and load capabilities for operation in confined spaces are required\, such as in construction when building walls. These systems can perform tasks that single robots cannot. In line with this trend\, this talk focuses on a heterogenous multi-agent robotic system consisting of agents with complementary capabilities. This multi-agent system is composed of a crane and a mobile manipulator that together combine their strengths to move precisely heavy objects on construction sites. To achieve this difficult task\, the control strategy must ensure that the object is correctly moved while also preventing the robot arm from being overloaded\, given that it is moving an object heavier than its maximal payload. In this talk\, we will showcase the theoretical and experimental findings that have emerged from the two projects\, BrickieBots 1.0 and BrickieBots 2.0. \n\nFor the teams link\, or in-person participation\, registration is required. Coffee and tea will be served. \nThis Seminar will also be livestreamed on our Youtube channel @BrIAStalks \n\nLocation:\nULB Solbosch Campus\nDepartment of Control Engineering and System Analysis (SAAS)\nBrussels School of Engineering\nBuilding L second floor\, door E
URL:https://brias.be/event/brias-sustainable-robotics-seminar-3/
LOCATION:ULB Solbosch Campus\, ULB Solbosch Campus Department of Control Engineering and System Analysis (SAAS)\, Brussels School of Engineering Building L second floor\, door E\, Brussels\, Belgium
CATEGORIES:Programme Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240125
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240126
DTSTAMP:20251217T131405Z
CREATED:20251211T150512Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251217T131405Z
UID:2602-1706140800-1706227199@brias.be
SUMMARY:BrIAS Sustainable Robotics Seminar 2
DESCRIPTION:1. Dr. Shirley Elprama\, Post-Doc\, SMIT – VUB\n\n\n\nTitle: “Acceptance of Occupational Exoskeletons”\n\n\n\nShirley Elprama will talk about her PhD research on the acceptance of occupational exoskeletons. She will explain which factors play a role in the acceptance of occupational skeletons and what is further needed to advance the adoptions of exoskeletons at work. \n\n\n\n2. Prof. Dr. Kevin De Pauw\, MFYS – VUB\n\n\n\nTitle: “Occupational exoskeletons: The Science into Practice”\n\n\n\nAt the VUB\, numerous projects have concentrated on refining the mechatronics of occupational exoskeletons. These devices underwent rigorous validation via testbenches\, and evaluations in both controlled laboratory environments and real-world settings. While significant improvements have been made in design advancements\, optimizing the human-robot interaction remains a critical area for enhancement. A pivotal determinant impacting widespread adoption is the user’s comfort. To improve the human-robot interaction\, our focus encompasses various facets. We prioritize human-in-the-loop optimization strategies aimed at tailoring robotic control and the development of multisensory fusion systems integrated into soft\, adaptable patches. Notably\, the evaluation of occupational exoskeletons has predominantly involved male subjects. In BRIAS\, we are placing emphasis on understanding the response of female users to the utilization of these exoskeletons. The insights gained from this study could offer information essential for further refining exoskeleton designs specifically tailored for female workers in medical and industrial companies. \n\n\n\n3. Ir. Ing. Tom Turcksin\, Flanders Make / AugmentX / Brubotics / MECH – VUB\n\n\n\nTitle: “Assessment of Exoskeletons – Beyond the state of the art”\n\n\n\nThe AugmentX research lab is a Flanders Make lab located at VUB and exploited by VUB-Brubotics. Besides supporting many research projects with advanced measurement campaigns or through the supply of the required infrastructure and know-how\, AugmentX peruses its own research mission. Measuring how exoskeletons alleviate work and offering this capability in a mobile package to both industry and academics. In this presentation\, we go over the state of the art\, the existing pitfalls and issues. We will demonstrate how AugmentX tackles the problem and how we are effectively expanding the capabilities in this domain. Then\, we will present the current research goals and which technical barriers we aim to break in the near future. AugmentX will also bring a subset of our 20 exos and some weights for try-outs. \n\n\n\nFor the teams link\, or in-person participation\, registration is required. Coffee and tea will be served. \n\n\n\nThis Seminar will also be livestreamed on our Youtube channel @BrIAStalks
URL:https://brias.be/event/brias-sustainable-robotics-seminar-2-2/
LOCATION:VUB AIXC\, Pleinlaan 9\, Floor -1\, Ixelles\, 1050\, Belgium
CATEGORIES:Programme Events
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240118
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240119
DTSTAMP:20251217T131302Z
CREATED:20251203T155102Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251217T131302Z
UID:2477-1705536000-1705622399@brias.be
SUMMARY:BrIAS Sustainable Robotics Seminar 1
DESCRIPTION:We are pleased to kick-off our BrIAS 2024 Seminar season on Sustainable Robotics. \n1. Welcome speech – BrIAS Directors Prof. Serge Jaumain and Prof. Frank Deconinck\n\n\n\n2. Introducing BrIAS- Prof. Christian Hermans (former BrIAS Programme director) and Prof. Emanuele Garone (current BrIAS Programme director)\nThey will kick off this first seminar by talking about BrIAS\,  what we have achieved so far and our vision for the future. \n3. Prof. Francesco Lamonaca\, Associate Professor\, University of Calabria\, Italy.\n\n\n\nTitle: “Measurements for Sustainable Robotics and Automation”\n\n\n\nThe convergence of robotics and measurement technologies has opened up new avenues for advancements in various fields\, from industrial automation to healthcare\, to smart agriculture\, to the preservation of cultural heritage and beyond. The talk explores the reciprocal relationship between measurements and robotics\, shedding light on how each domain contributes to the enhancement of the other. The integration of precise measurements in robotics and the utilization of robotic systems for improved measurement processes have become integral components in the pursuit of efficiency\, accuracy\, and innovation. Indeed\, as measurements continue to play a fundamental role in the precision and functionality of robotic systems\, robotics reciprocates by offering innovative platforms for deploying measurement instruments in diverse and challenging environments. The ongoing synergy between these two domains not only pushes the boundaries of technological capabilities but also prompts a thoughtful consideration of ethical and societal implications. As researchers and practitioners continue to explore the vast potential of this interplay\, the landscape of measurements and robotics is poised for continuous evolution and groundbreaking discoveries. \n\n\n\n4. Guillermo Legarda Herranz\, PhD researcher at IRIDIA\, ULB.\n\n\n\nTitle: “Robot swarms for intralogistics”\n\n\n\nRecent developments of robot swarms with richer capabilities for sensing and manipulation of the environment have opened the door to more complex applications of swarm robotics. The introduction of such swarms in intralogistics\, where workers are still at risk of injury\, is of particular interest. In this talk\, I will discuss how swarms of robots can be controlled to simultaneously transport multiple items that are too heavy or too large for a single robot to carry. Such robot swarms could be deployed in plants with no specialised infrastructure and aid in the transport of pallets or packages. This could help prevent accidents at work in the transportation and storage sector\, which in 2021 accounted for almost 17% of all fatal accidents at work in the EU. Furthermore\, the inherent affordability of swarm systems would make such solutions accessible to economically disadvantaged communities. \n\n\n\nFor the teams link\, or in-person participation\, registration is required. Coffee and tea will be served. \n\n\n\nThis Seminar will also be livestreamed on our Youtube channel @BrIAStalks
URL:https://brias.be/event/brias-sustainable-robotics-seminar-1/
LOCATION:ULB Solbosch Campus\, ULB Solbosch Campus Department of Control Engineering and System Analysis (SAAS)\, Brussels School of Engineering Building L second floor\, door E\, Brussels\, Belgium
CATEGORIES:Programme Events
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