iCal

Questions to be answered

This workshop provides an overview of recent advances in telerobotics across healthcare and industrial applications, addressing:

1. How is AI enhancing autonomy and control in telerobotic systems?
2. What are the main technical challenges (e.g., latency, haptics, safety) in large-scale deployment?
3. How can telerobotics be leveraged in manufacturing, logistics, and hazardous environments?
4. What ethical concerns arise in medical telerobotics (e.g., data security, patient privacy)?
5. What infrastructure advancements (e.g., 5G/6G) are necessary for real-time remote operations?
6. What skills and training are needed for professionals working with AI-driven telerobotics?

By attending this workshop, the participant will:

1. Learn from leading experts.
2. Engage with cutting-edge innovations AI-enhanced robotic systems, and industrial applications that are revolutionizing the way we interact with technology and reshape industries.
3. Gain practical insights into overcoming the technical challenges of telerobotics, such as latency, real-time control, and infrastructure needs, directly from the experts solving these issues.
4. Be part of discussions on the ethical and legal implications of telerobotics, from patient privacy in remote surgeries to accountability and security in industrial contexts.
5. Discover cross-sector opportunities and future trends in telerobotics, helping you understand how these technologies will impact healthcare and industry in the coming decade.
6. Gain experience in telerobotics through a live and practical exhibition where they observe and interact with teleoperation activities in real-time, showcasing the technology’s capabilities in healthcare and industrial settings.

Beyond theoretical discussion, this workshop offers actionable insights and real-world applications from healthcare and industrial robotics experts. Moreover, the practical demonstration gives you a hands-on understanding of how telerobotic systems function in real-world scenarios. If you are looking to understand the full spectrum of telerobotic innovation and its potential, this is the workshop you cannot afford to miss.

Description

This workshop aims to provide a comprehensive, multidisciplinary perspective on telerobotics, spanning applications from healthcare to industrial tasks. Historically, many have questioned whether robots will fully replace humans in the workplace. However, introducing teleoperated robots offers a different solution: why must robots completely replace humans when they can collaborate with them instead? Rather than replacing human workers, robots can share tasks in a cooperative environment—through human-robot interaction using collaborative robots (cobots)—or operate remotely in the case of teleoperated robotics.

With insights from renowned speakers and panelists, the workshop will delve into the latest medical and industrial telerobotics breakthroughs. Following a brief introduction by the organizers, the first invited speaker will explore the current role of teleoperated robots in healthcare. This session will discuss how these robots assist doctors today, highlighting the benefits of remote surgery, as well as the challenges in achieving precision and meeting the stringent requirements of medical applications. The focus will also be on industrial applications, examining how Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) transform telerobotics in manufacturing and beyond. As AI and ML have become increasingly integrated into our daily lives, the workshop will discuss their growing influence on industrial telerobotics and how these technologies shape the future of automation and collaboration in diverse sectors.

Organisation of the WS

• 8:30 - 8:40 Welcome & Introduction: Welcome by moderators, outline of workshop objectives, and speaker introductions
• 8:40 - 9:20 Speaker Presentations:
• Presentation 1: Telerobotics in Surgical Robotics and Assistance for People with Disabilities (Prof. Alin Albu-Schäffer – Technische Universität München & DLR, Germany)
• Presentation 2: AI-Driven Telerobotics for Autonomy and Perception (Prof. Sven Behnke – Universität Bonn, Germany)
• Presentation 3: Telerobotics for Senior Healthcare: Enhancing Remote Assistance and Rehabilitation through Safe Human-Robot Interaction (Dr. Abdeldjallil Naceri – MIRMI, Technische Universität München, Germany)
• Presentation 4: Safety and Usability in Telemanipulated Human-Robot Interactions (M.Sc. Stephan Andreas Schwarz – Technische Universität Chemnitz, Germany)
• Presentation 5: Wearable Haptics & Exoskeletons for Remote Interaction (Dr. Francesco Porcini – Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy)
• Presentation 6: Leveraging Autonomy in Robot Teleoperation (Dr. Mario Selvaggio – PRISMA Lab, Naples, Italy)
• 9:20 - 9:45 Interactive Discussion
  Q&A with the audience and expert panel to address key challenges and future directions in telerobotics
• 9:45 - 9:50 Conclusion: Summary of key insights, closing remarks, and invitation to network

Participants will have an active role throughout the workshop. They will be called upon to:

• Listen carefully to the speakers' presentations, taking notes and formulating questions.
• Interact with other participants and speakers during the break and Q&A session.
• Explore the latest frontiers of telerobotics, discovering new applications and technologies.
• Connect with researchers and industry experts and expand their network of contacts.

Intended outcome

Attendees will gain:

• A comprehensive understanding of the latest innovations in telerobotics.
• Insights into technical challenges and solutions in AI-driven teleoperation.
• Awareness of ethical, legal, and infrastructural concerns in medical and industrial applications.
• Opportunities for networking and potential collaborations.

Speakers, Panelists, etc

Speakers & Panelists

• Prof. Alin Albu-Schäffer – Technische Universität München & DLR, Germany
• Prof. Sven Behnke – Universität Bonn, Germany
• Dr. Abdeldjallil Naceri – MIRMI, Technische Universität München, Germany
• Dr. Francesco Porcini – Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Italy
• Dr. Mario Selvaggio – PRISMA Lab, Italy
• M.Sc. Stephan Andreas Schwarz – Technische Universität Chemnitz, Germany

Moderators

• Dr. Eng. Antonio Di Tecco – Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Italy
• Alessandro Genua – Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Italy
• Karol Janik – Manufacturing Technology Centre Ltd, United Kingdom

Topic Groups and/or Innovation networks involved

• Topics group:
• Tele Eco Sound
• Human-Machine, Human-Computer, and Human-Robot Interaction
• Medical and Industrial Requirements (Technicals and Ethics)
• Robotic Control Issues
• Mechanics and Mechanical Architecture
• Computer Science and AI for Healthcare and Industrial Applications

Projects involved

• LEARN - muLtimodal Edge computing-bAsed weaRable exoskeletoNs for assistance in daily life: https://www.learn-prin.eu/

Further information

Research centers links:

• Institute of Mechanical Intelligence, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies:

http://www.santannapisa.it/it/istituto/intelligenza-meccanica

• Prof. Sven Behnke’s profile on Universität Bonn:http://www.ais.uni-bonn.de/behnke/
• https://www.mirmi.tum.de/mirmi/people/naceri-abdeldjallil/
• https://www.professoren.tum.de/en/albu-schaeffer-alin
• https://humanrobotinteraction.santannapisa.it/teams/eng-francesco-porcini/

Organisers

• Dr. Eng. Antonio Di Tecco (Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies), http://www.ditecco.it/
• Alessandro Genua (Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies),
• Karol Janik (Manufacturing Technology Centre Ltd)