September 2005

Robot exhibition to highlight WTEC international study of robotics

On September 16, 2005, the National Science Foundation (NSF) will host more than a dozen robots and their creators for a showcase of advanced robotics technology from across the nation.

The robotic exhibition will highlight the release of a new report: the World Technology Evaluation Center International Study of Robotics, a two-year look at robotics research and development in the United States, Japan, Korea, and Western Europe.

Sponsored by NSF, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) at the National Institutes of Health, the report was drafted by a panel of six robotics experts who gathered information on-site at more than 50 locations across the globe.

A day-long workshop will present the detailed report findings, while a webcast press briefing at noon will provide a concise summary for the media. Panel chair George Bekey of the University of Southern California will present the summary, after which all six panelists will be available to answer questions.

Researchers will be demonstrating their robots, including a team from the Johns Hopkins University that is also funded by the NIBIB. Drs. Russell Taylor and Peter Kazanzides will showcase virtual fixtures for neurosurgical applications such as aneurysm clipping and skull base drilling. The exhibit will also show two compact, image-guided robot systems developed for prostate biopsy and brachytherapy applications.

Detailed information on the event and the webcast can be obtained at: http://www.nsf.gov/news/newsmedia/robotics05/index.jsp.