Program
Workshop on Benchmarks in Robotics Research
Beijing, China
October 10, 2006. Convention Hall room no.3030, Level 3, 9:00 a.m.
Rationale
Current practice of publishing research results in robotics makes it extremely difficult not only to compare results of different approaches, but also to asses the quality of the research presented by the authors. Though for pure theoretical articles this may not be the case, typically when researchers claim that their particular algorithm or system is capable of achieving some performance, those claims are intrinsically unverifiable, either because it is their unique system or just because a lack of experimental details, including working hypothesis. This is, of course, partly due to the very nature of robotics research: reported results are tested by solving a limited set of specific examples on different types of scenarios, using different underlying software libraries, incompatible problem representations, and implemented by different people using different hardware, including computers, sensors, arms, grippers..., but also to a lack of sound experimental practice in the field.
This state of affairs cannot be changed in the short term, but some steps can be taken in the right direction by studying the ways in which research results in robotics can be assessed and compared. The main purpose of this workshop is to address these issues by providing an informal forum for participants to exchange their on-going work and ideas in this regard. It is intended as a forum for discussion, exchange of
points of view, assessment of results and methods, and as a source of
dissemination and promotion in the area of benchmarks in robotics research.
Workshop Format
The format of the workshop has been designed in accordance with the
general goal of offering a structure for exchange. The program will
include a number of presentations by the invitees representing several
different aspects of benchmarks in robotics research, possibly
breaking up into a few subgroups, each with a different subtheme.
After the breakouts, group leaders would present the most important
problems and conclusions discussed by their groups.
Lecture Notes and Program
The lecture notes of the workshop including the Program and full papers for all talks can be found here
Submission Requirements
Abstract submissions are solicited in PDF format (1-2 pages),
starting with title, authors' names, affiliations, postal and
email addresses. Selection of
speakers will be based on relevance to the indicated focus of the
workshop, clarity of the work submitted, and the strength of the
research.
Once the abstract is accepted, authors will be invited to send
final papers, also in PDF, starting with title, authors' names, affiliations, postal and
email addresses, and concluding with relevant
bibliographic references. Papers should fit on 4 to 10 single-spaced
typewritten A4 or 8.5 x 11 inch pages, in the form of an extended
abstract or complete research, survey, or position paper.
Extended Abstract deadline: June 28, 2006
Notification date: July 15, 2006
Final date for camera-ready paper: September 5, 2006
Submit to: Angel P. del Pobil, pobil AT icc.uji.es with [IROS] in the subject
Workshop Chair
Angel P. del Pobil
Robotic Intelligence Laboratory
Universitat Jaume I
Castellon
Spain
pobil AT icc.uji.es