IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 176

Figure 2. The invited speakers for the public forum on Social Implementation of Disaster
Robots and Systems: Application Record and Challenges for the Future on 16 March.

Asama, Robin Murphy, Gerald Steinbauer, Geert De Cubber, Raj Madhavan, and
Satoshi Tadokoro,
gave talks about
This conference
applications and
achievements of
announces a
disaster robotics,
framework of action
the current state
for disaster reduction in each country
and region, gaps
of worldwide
for deployment,
activities and national SIG humanitarian technology,
actions every ten
and future actions. The followyears.
ing voluntary
commitment was
approved for the future disaster robotics
applications.
"The establishment of an international committee of all relevant stakeholders

as a way to accelerate the implementation of robotics and information and
communications technology for national
disaster management plans and national
regulations synchronizing with rapid
technology revolution."
This was announced at a working
session on Earth observations and high
technology to reduce risks in the main
forums on 15 March and was positioned as an action item in an adjunct
document of Sendai Framework of
Action, which is the main outcome of
the 2015 United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.
A public forum on 16 March
focused on the application record and
challenges for the future regarding the
social implementation of disaster
robots and systems. Six top companies
and a university in Japan introduced

their activities for emergency response
for Fukushima-Daiichi accident, such
as robot application and research and
development for Fukushima decommissioning, the establishment of
Nuclear Emergency Assistance Center,
a 20-year history and the future of
unmanned construction systems, and
the application of UAVs for landslide
disaster recovery.
Hajime Asama, Robin Murphy, Gerald Steinbauer, Geert De Cubber, Raj
Madhavan, and Satoshi Tadokoro at the
conference of the United Nation on
disaster risk reduction have recognized
that robotics will be one of the most
important technologies for disaster
response, recovery, and preparedness in
the future. Awareness of necessary
actions for its social implementation
and the establishment of the international committee was a big step for risk
reduction support for robotics in the
future.
The organizers would like to thank
all the contributors and supporters for
this great success.
References
[1] [Online]. Available: http://www.wcdrr.org/
[2] [Online]. Available: http://www.ieee-ras.org/
educational-resources-outreach/un-symposium
[3] URL of Voluntary Commitment.

UN World Conference
on Disaster Risk Reduction
By Satoshi Tadokoro

R

obotics is becoming a powerful tool for disaster risk reduction, preparedness, response,
and recovery. To fully support
the Post-2015 Framework of Action,

Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MRA.2015.2452113
Date of publication: 11 September 2015

176

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IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINE

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an international committee of robotics
will be established in cooperation with
all the relevant stakeholders, including
public bodies, local communities, disaster response teams, researchers, and
industries as well as various research
and development projects worldwide
and the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society.

September 2015

The committee will define the top
goals and metrics for the contribution
of robotics to risk reduction. Subgoals
and actions will be identified with the
consideration of disaster risk reduction plans, operational regulations,
laws, interoperability, missing capabilities, technical readiness levels, and
commercialization. The committee
http://www.wcdrr.org/ http://www.ieee-ras.org/
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015
