IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2011 - 118

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The current work is focusing on implementing a nuclear battery
with an expected lifespan of 30 years.
Of particular interest to many of the roboticists was the sensor payload of the vehicles, featuring stereovision for threedimensional (3-D) surface reconstruction, spectrometry for
material identification and analysis, high-energy particle detectors, and intriguingly, ion detectors for monitoring the solar
wind. The study of the solar wind's interaction with the moon,
and by inference its interaction with earth was a feature of the
spacecraft's mission and is providing important data about this
especially relevant topic. The presented pictorial results were
mostly impressive, with 3-D reconstructions of the lunar sur-

face and the completeness of the mosaicked imagery being of
particular note.
The concluding question and answer session allowed Prof.
Ouyang to emphasize the goal of the program first as a scientific endeavor and second as a method for raising the
standards of Chinese technology. The dream of progressing to
the exploration of Mars, Venus, and Jupiter was also envisaged,
notwithstanding efforts toward investigating asteroids and
comets. To reach these goals will, however, require further
developments in robotics and automation, the seeds of which
may have been presented at this conference.
Mark Whitty

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Call for SAC Board 2012-1013
Climbing the RAS Ladder
I love climbing. I love hanging on walls, trees, cliffs, edges, and
cracks. However, I do not like taking risk. I check the hold before
putting weight on it, and even chalk my shoes before heel hooking a ledge. Hooking up with the RAS, I never had to take any
risk. It was apparent from the first moment that the Society practically offers unlimited ways to get involved, both with professional projects and social activities. The people I met here have
simply the most brilliant minds of the field while understanding
the importance of sharing and educating. Get ready, because
you could be the next one enchanted by RAS.
It all began at ICRA 2009 in Kobe, where I was discussing
some of my constructive comments on the SAC programs with
the former Student Chair Carol Reiley. We spent half of the night
flashing ideas with some friends, and eventually she asked me,
"Why don't you realize your visions in the next SAC term?" I
agreed and so I applied for the call you can read in this issue
and was honored to be selected as the 2010-2012 SAC chair.
This was a significant leap forward, but the crux was still ahead.
As John Cassis said, "It's nice to be important, but it is more
important to be nice." Soon I realized that the opportunity is
neither about the position nor getting any power; it is about
the service and tremendous benefits you can gain through
serving. I had plans, grandiose plans, but I needed a team to
realize them. It is never easy to work with people you have
never seen before, when you only keep in touch via Skype and
e-mail. Still, a lot of great roboticists signed up to become part
of the SAC, and together we started various initiatives. When I
met a handful of these students at the next ICRA, we had
already known each other from the long nights spent in work.

We developed friendships. A group of excellent people; fellows
that will be there for you either at the next conference or the
following one. Once we share these memories, there will be a
strong link between all of us in addition to the original drive
that we all love robots.
As The Beatles said, "And in the end, the love you take is
equal to the love you make." Looking back, it is clear that the
most important benefit is the new connections I managed to
make. Both with the student and senior people-the true leaders
of our field. It's not only that you read all their articles and know
their robots, but learn who the person is behind the name, and
they get to know you as well. While you admire their work, they
appreciate yours; and you can spend a lot of time learning with
the RAS officers, many of whose textbooks you study and journal articles you cite. But knowing the bright starters of the
future is just as great and important, and you may trust them to
join you later either for an National Science Foundation (NSF)
grant or a postconference road trip.
As Marie Curie said, "We must believe that we are gifted for
something, and that one thing, at whatever cost, must be
attained." I believed that I could make a difference, and I still
do. I have been working hard to show this, and I am very grateful to the Society and its leaders that they were all very supportive. Coming up with (sometimes silly) ideas all the time, I was
barely told "no" for anything and if I was, it usually turned out
that I failed to express my aims in the proper way. Now, it is
your turn to take the lead and show what you can do. I can
assure you that you will enjoy my and all the other fellows' full
support while climbing up those pitches. This is only the beginning, but it is a good one. Do not miss the opportunity.

Students at ICRA-Shanghai
By Amy Blank, Abeje Y. Mersha, and Tamas Haidegger

Student Views of ICRA 2011
Three of the reports by Mark Whitty
and Fausto Ferreira, winner and runnerup, respectively, of the Student Reporter
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MRA.2011.942538
Date of publication: 13 September 2011

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IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINE

Contest, are presented below. Others will
be posted on the SAC Web site.
Monday-Informal Lunch
On the first day, interested students
explored the food options around
the Shanghai International Convention

SEPTEMBER 2011

Center for an informal lunch. Although
we lost half of the group, both parties
found substantial food in the nearby
mall. Good company and food made a
great start to the week.
(continued on page 125)

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2011