IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - June 2015 - 105

Museum of Science and Industry Presents:
Robot Revolution Exhibit

Figure 3. Lucia Pallottino, Region 8 RAS
representative.

Automation Magazine, chair and
founder of the Electronics Products and
Services Board, and as an Administrative Committee member.
Lucia Pallottino to Represent
RAS in IEEE Region 8
Lucia Pallottino will serve as the RAS
representative in Region 8, which covers
Europe, the Middle East, and Africa
(Figure 3). One of the fastest growing
IEEE Regions in the world, with respect
to Chapter activity, Region 8 believes in
strong coordination and cooperation
with the IEEE Societies and Councils
and has been fortunate to have representatives appointed from most Societies.

They are coming and they will be here to help and improve our lives. The Museum
of Science and Industry (MSI), Chicago, Illinois, is excited to announce Robot
Revolution, a new national touring exhibit that opened in May 2015.
Robot Revolution comes to life with about 40 robots that have been obtained
from the most innovative global robotics companies. This exhibit explores how
robots, created by human ingenuity, will ultimately be our companions and
colleagues, changing how we play, live, and work together. The exhibit allows
guests to step into a visionary world where the robots are not just a curiosity but
a vital asset. Guests have extraordinary opportunities to interact with robots that
have rarely been shown to the public before. The exhibit freatures specific handson activities for guests.
The Advisory Committee of robotics experts funded by IEEE RAS helped us finetune the content for the exhibit and introduced us to sources of robots-both small
and large robotics companies that are supplying robots for the exhibit.
IEEE RAS also helped film interviews of attendees and the show floor at the
IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems Conference
in Chicago. This footage will be used in the multiple videos in the exhibit. IEEE RAS
has also made footage from their archive available for exhibit videos.
For more information, please visit msichicago.org/robot.

Figure 4. The poster for the Robot Revolution exhibit.

2015 IEEE RoboResearch
Seminar a Success
By Kristin Bedell

n Friday 6 March 2015, approximately 95 researchers,
industry professionals, and
students from across North
Carolina gathered at the EPIC building
at the University of North Carolina
(UNC) Charlotte for the 2015 IEEE RoboResearch Seminar. This event is targeted at bringing together state
government, industry, and universities to

Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MRA.2015.2419145
Date of publication: 18 June 2015

share information on many aspects of
robotics research and development in
North Carolina. According to Conference Chair Grayson Randall, "It was
great to see the leaders of government,
industry, and academia get together to
discuss advances in robotics. By convening these experts, we hope to accelerate
the robotics industry in North Carolina."
At this inaugural event, attendees celebrated the past, present, and future of robotics and automation engineering in
North Carolina. For example, Dr. Trevor

Hackman shared an overview of the history of robotic surgery, Dr. Jeremy Renshaw
explained the current role of robotics in inspecting used nuclear fuel containers, and
Dr. Seth Hollar and Marshall Brain proposed an automated personal rapid transit
system. Other technical topics included
● Dr. James Conrad's presentation on
work done through UNC-Charlotte's
Autonomous Vehicle Lab
● Bill Meldrum's presentation on
robots to control radiation exposure
in nuclear power plants

june 2015

IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINE

105

http://www.msichicago.org/robot

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