Robotics and Automation MagazineDecember 2007In our previous column we addressed the research coordination activities of EURON in inviting applications for support in terms of Prospective Research Projects (PRP), Research Ateliers (RA) and Special Interest Groups (SIGs). In this column we want to focus on SIGs. SIGs are an ad hoc collection of five or more EURON institutions that come together to form a micro community to address a specific topic that is of common interest to all SIG members. The initiative to form a SIG lies completely with the members, and they are free to select the topic of their SIG. Under EURON-I the following SIGS have been funded:
while under EURON-II the following SIGS have been funded: The Good Experimental Methodology SIG, led by Fabio Bonsignorio (fabio.bonsignorio AT gmail.com), John Hallam (john AT mmmi.sdu.dk and Angel del Pobilpobil AT icc.uji.es), focuses on increasing the quality of experimental methodology practiced in robotics. This is motivated by the fact that scientific disciplines conduct experiments differently, depending on the topic of investigation, but all have in common a body of knowledge concerning experimental methodology that specifies how to design and conduct `good' experiments in that discipline. On the other end trustable benchmarks are needed in order to allow the comparison of the many research results in service robotics research end enable their industrial application. Some 80/90 members of EURON are backing the initiative. The Cooperative Robotics SIG, led by Alessandro Saffiotti (asaffio AT aass.oru.se) and Pedro Lima (pal AT isr.ist.utl.pt) is a continuation of the EURON-I SIG on Cooperative Robotics and its purpose is to meet the tremendously increased interest in cooperative robots of different types for many emerging applications and to foster Europe's position as leader in the field. It organizes educational and scientific events and maintains links with other related entities in Europe and worldwide. Each year a set of explicit themes, constituting the priority focus of the SIG activities for that year, is defined. The themes for the first year are "networked robotics" and "formal models for cooperation". Parties interested in promoting certain activities via this column can contact either Kostas Kyriakopoulos, kkyria AT central.ntua.gr) or Bruno Siciliano, siciliano AT unina.it). Contributed by Kostas Kyriakopoulos and Bruno Siciliano. |
Getting InvolvedWe hope that you will get involved in many of EURON's activities and encourage others to do so as well. Attend MeetingsAttending meetings is an excellent way of making contacts and friends within the community. These contacts are normally interesting, and may also be useful! EURON Schools are aimed at PhD students so are particularly good for people wishing to deepen an already existing interest. [More details ... ] Contribute to the InitiativesYour knowledge and resources are valuable -- please consider sharing them with others by adding items to the databases, contributing your opinions to the roadmap and benchmarking initiatives, and your information to this website. Especially, please contribute to the Video Collection for Students asap. [More details ... ] Use the ResourcesMake use of the resources that EURON offers. Much of the information is freely available to all, but for other resources you have to be a EURON member. Apply for the grants, use the databases and the contacts, apply for the awards, use the mailing lists.
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