Robotics in security domains, fire brigades, civil protection, and disaster control - Facing the user
ELROB aims to bridge the gap between users, industry and research in the field of robotics.
Nowadays industry plays the "leading" role in robotics in the sense that it often defines the robotic capabilities available.
Many times this results in more or less "standard" robots being introduced into operations without very thoroughly defined functional requirements.
This might be an appropriate approach for those cases where the users have no vision themselves on how to use robotics in their domains.
But many users do have an idea of their own on their possible use of robotics.
These views are often characterised by short-term objectives and a limited understanding of technical issues.
Research instead has usually no short-term objective and often fails to provide practical applications.
Ignoring scientific results, however, prevents interesting and innovative developments.
Industry, especially medium-sized enterprises, could use research to fertilise their strategic development process.
So, many times there is a significant gap between the industry's understanding of robots needed, the application of research results and the users understanding of robot technology as well as the technical feasibility of their requirements.
ELROB as an event aims to solve this situation by bringing together users, industry and researchers.
Therefore ELROB is set-up as a co-operation between representatives from the users community, industry and the research community.
It is open to:
- Users These are (future) professional users of robots.
- Industry These are designers and manufacturers of integrated ground robots focusing on considered domains.
- Research These are universities and other research institutes focusing on (partial) solutions relevant to the considered domains (e.g.: sensor technology or outdoor navigation).
Facing the user the “European Land-Robot Trial
(ELROB)” is organised in order to provide an overview of the
European state-of-the-art in the field of UGVs/UAVs with focus on
short-term realizable robot systems.
ELROB is explicitly designed to assess current technology to solve
problems at hand, using whatever strategy to achieve it.
ELROB is presenting cutting edge robotics technology, applied to real
world applications, that can save lives now and shape the direction
of research for the short and medium term.
With regard to available capabilities, the organisers seek to promote
innovative technical approaches that will enable the operation of
unmanned vehicles.
Keep in mind that the theme of ELROB still is:
- ELROB is conducted to provide an overview of the European state-of-the-art in the field of unmanned vehicles with focus on short-term realisable robot systems!
- ELROB is explicitly designed to assess current technology to solve real world problems at hand!
- ELROB in addition is an opportunity to bring together users, researchers and industry to build a community!
| Video impressions of the ELROB 2006 |
 (QuinetiQ) |