Keynotes

Abdalla Swikir

TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF MUNICH

Senior Scientist
Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence
Chair of Robotics and Systems Intelligence

Biography: Abdalla Swikir is a Senior Scientist and Teaching Coordinator at the Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence (MIRMI), where he leads the Robot Learning research groups. He directs several high-profile EU projects, ranging from robotic design to applying AI on large-scale robotic systems. He is an IEEE senior member and the recipient of the 2023 IEEE CSS George S. Axelby Outstanding Paper and the 2023 IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters Best Paper Awards.

Talk title: Learning Dynamical Systems for Obstacle Avoidance in Robotic Manipulation: A Certified and Scalable Approach

Abstract: To enhance robot adaptability in obstacle avoidance tasks, we introduce a novel methodology integrating barrier certificates into learning stable Dynamical Systems (DS). In our approach, we directly incorporate obstacle avoidance into the learning process, effectively managing the computational and numerical challenges of developing stable and safe DSs through bilinear sum-of-squares optimization. We also propose a compositional approach to mitigate computational demands and boost our methods’ scalability. This strategy facilitates learning polynomial DSs and supports various DS representations, enhancing the framework for advanced robot control in dynamic environments.

Hanumant Singh

NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

Professor

Program co-Director: Institute of Experiential Robotics

Hanumant Singh is a Professor at Northeastern University. He received his Ph.D. from the MIT WHOI Joint Program in 1995 and then worked on the Staff at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution until 2016 when he joined Northeastern. His research interests are in the area of field robotics, with an emphasis on SLAM, imaging, and mapping, particularly in the marine, polar and aerial domains.

His group has designed and built the Seabed AUV and the Jetyak Autonomous Surface Vehicle, dozens of which are in use for scientific and academic research across the globe. He also has strong interests in small Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).  He has participated in 60 expeditions in all of the world’s oceans in support of Marine Geology, Marine Biology, Deep Water Archaeology, Chemical Oceanography, Polar Studies, and Coral Reef Ecology.  In collaboration with his students his awards include the ICRA Best Student Paper Award, the Sung Fu Memorial Best IEEE Transactions on Robotics Paper Award and Best Paper Awards at the Oceans Conference and at AGU.

Daehyung Park

KOREA ADVANCED INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Professor
Computer Science Department

Biography: Daehyung Park is an assistant professor at the School of Computing, KAIST, Korea, leading the Robust Intelligence and Robotics Laboratory. Prior to joining KAIST, he had been a postdoctoral associate at MIT and received a Ph.D. in Robotics at Georgia Institute of Technology. His research lies at the intersection of planning, learning, and grounding to advance collaborative robot technologies. He has received the Outstanding Planning Paper Award at ICRA 2023, Google Research Scholar Award 2022, etc. 

Talk Title: Robotic Companion Tomorrow: Enhancing Safety Intelligence in Robots.

Abstract: While generalist robot technologies have achieved notable success recently, robots are not yet widely deployable in diverse environments, as they remain largely confined to controlled settings. A crucial barrier is the lack of understanding of space and constraints embedded within our commands. In this talk, I will explore strategies to develop highly safe robotic companions, focusing on two essential aspects: 1) how to accurately ground linguistic commands within physical spaces, and 2) how to learn and enforce operational constraints. By addressing these challenges, we can create robotic teammates that provide scalable and reliable assistance even in novel environments. I will show how recent advancements make robots safe, intelligent, and collaborative, enabling them to seamlessly integrate into a variety of human settings.

Esben Østergaard

REInvest Robotics

CEO

Co-founder of Universal Robots

Biography: I am one of the founders of Universal Robots, and thereby a one of the inventors of what is today called a “cobot”. From Universal Robots was founded and for the next 14 years i was the CTO, creating the product, growing the product portfolio, and enhancing the products. Today I am the CEO of REInvest Robotics, where we invest in and contribute to robot startups. We focus on products that makes the world better (according to UN’s SDG’s). During the years from 2001 – 2005 as researcher and assistant professor in robotics and user interfaces at University of Southern Denmark, I created the foundation for a reinvention of the industrial robot. In 2005, it led me to found Universal Robots together with two of my research colleagues. Since then, Universal Robots has taken about 65+ patents on the technology of the cobot. Earlier in my career, I worked as research scientist at USC Robotics Labs in Southern California and at AIST in Tokyo as a visiting researcher. During my studies in Computer Science, Physics and Multimedia at Aarhus University in Denmark, I exclusively focused on robotics and became the world champion in my hobby, FIRA Robot Football in 1998. I also help governments in the robotics strategies, currently for the government in Denmark, Europe and Singapore.

Esben Østergaard, PhD,

CEO, REInvest Robotics

Niels Jul Jacobsen

Capra Robotics ApS

CEO

Co-founder of MIR

Biography: Niels Jul Jacobsen, CEO of Capra Robotics, is a seasoned professional in the field of robotics and automation. With over 30 years of experience, he has built a solid foundation in this dynamic industry. His academic qualifications include an MSc in Computer Science Technology (1990) and a Graduate Diploma in Finance (2007) from the University of Southern Denmark. He is the founding father of MIR and was on the board of Universal Robots from 2008 to 2015. Previously, Niels worked at AMROSE A/S as an R&D manager and has held the position of head of program development at Odense Steel ship Yard. He has been employed at the University of Southern Denmark, where he was head of the robot laboratory at the Faculty of Engineering. He has participated in several national and EU projects as a task leader and technical coordinator.

Talk title: Being a robotics entrepreneur

Søren Elmer Kristensen

Odense Robotics

CEO

Biography: Søren Elmer Kristensen is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Odense Robotics, Denmark’s cluster for robotics, automation, and drones. Søren and Odense Robotics are guided by a clear vision: to improve the world through Danish robotics. As CEO, Søren plays a central role in shaping Denmark’s future as a global leader in robotics, automation, and drones. By nurturing innovation and building strategic alliances in Denmark and internationally, Søren has made key contributions towards accelerating growth and innovation in the industry. Søren brings a wealth of experience to his role as CEO. Prior to his current position, Søren served as Project Director at Odense Robotics. Before joining Odense Robotics, Søren was Head of TEK Innovation at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Southern Denmark, where he strengthened collaboration between the university and businesses. Søren’s educational background is a Master of Science from the University of Copenhagen.