IROS 2025 Workshop: Towards Sustainability and Resiliency of Field Robotics

Deploying robots in the field without ethical considerations can cause ecological disruption. As we strive towards developing more autonomous and resilient robotic systems, it is imperative to ensure that these advancements do not come at the expense of ecological health. The integration of sustainable practices within resilient robotic systems represents a frontier that must be navigated with caution and foresight. By focusing on energy-efficient designs, eco-friendly material utilization, and strategies for minimizing ecological footprint during deployment, we can pave the way for a harmonious coexistence between robotics and the natural world.

The intersection of AI and robotics holds great promise for sustainable field deployment, aiming at minimize environmental impact while optimizing resource use across multiple domains, such as agricultural automation, environmental monitoring, disaster response, and mining. In light of this, bringing together experts from academia and industry, we aim to address scientific and technical questions such as: How can AI-powered robots enhance ecological sustainability in field applications? What materials and designs are most conducive to reducing the environmental impact of robotic systems? How can we trade off the resiliency in swarm robotics and potential increase in material usage? By fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and innovation, our workshop seeks to contribute to the development of robotic systems that are not only technologically advanced but also environmentally responsible.

Important dates

  • Paper submission deadline: Sept, 10th, 2025
  • Notification of acceptance: Sept, 30th, 2025
  • Workshop date: Oct, 20th, 2025

Call for Posters

The workshop topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Agriculture
  • Construction
  • Forestry
  • Healthcare
  • Intelligent Transportation Systems
  • Marine Robotics
  • Mining
  • Search and Rescue
  • Space Exploration

Submission Information

  • All the paper should be submited by the EasyChair.
  • Posters are without format restrictions. The selected authors will deliver a 5-minute pitch+poster display.
  • Each submission will be peer-reviewed by at least two members of the program committee.

Publication Partners

  • The selected submissions will be honored with the best poster award sponsored by Wiley.
  • The outstanding posters will be invited to submit a full-length paper to a special issue of Journal of Field Robotics.

Keynote Speakers

Prof. Zhongkui Wang

Title: Soft Robotics for Agrifood applications

Zhongkui Wang

Professor, Ritsumeikan University, Japan
  • Prof. Zhongkui Wang received the Ph.D. degree in robotics from Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, Japan, in 2011. From 2011 to 2012 and 2012 to 2014, he was a Research Associate and a Postdoctoral Fellow, respectively, with Ritsumeikan University. During his Postdoc, he visited ETH Zurich for six months as a visiting scholar. From 2014-2019, he was an Assistant Professor with Ritsumeikan University. Since 2019, he became an Associate Professor with Ritsumeikan University. His research interests mainly include soft robotics, 4D printing, biomedical engineering, and automation in food industry and agriculture.
Dr. Mingfeng Wang

Title: Towards Specialised Robotic Systems in Challenging Environments

Mingfeng Wang

Associate Professor, Brunel University of London, UK
  • Dr. Mingfeng Wang is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Robotics & Autonomous Systems at the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Brunel University of London. Before joining Brunel, he was a Research Fellow (2017.08-2021.06) at the Rolls-Royce UTC in Manufacturing and On-Wing Repair, University of Nottingham (UK), and worked as a principal researcher on inspection and maintenance robotics for the aerospace and nuclear industry. Before this, he was a Senior Research Associate (2016.08-2017.08) at the National Centre for Precision Farming, Harper Adams University (UK), and worked on laser weeding robotics for organic farming.
Dr. Mingfeng Wang

Title:Key Technologies of Active Exoskeletons and Their Ground Testing Aimed at Long-term Lunar Habitation

Yanfang Liu

Professor, Harbin Institute of Technology, China
  • Dr. Yanfang Liu is a professor and doctoral supervisor in Harbin Institute of Technology. He was awarded the titles of National High-Level Young Talent, Distinguished Young Scholar of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, "Xiaomi" Young Scholar, and Young Science and Technology Award winner of Heilongjiang Province. He engaged in research on visual target recognition, pose measurement, positioning and tracking technology, autonomous intelligence of aerial vehicles, intelligent assembly and testing, mechatronics and its ground-based simulation testing, specialized wafer forming and precision sand-etching processing of specialized chips, etc.
Dr. Mingfeng Wang

Title:Biomimetic Self Balancing Drilling Technology and Equipment

Yan Zhao

Professor, Jilin University, China
  • Dr. Yan Zhao is a professor in Jilin University. He research focus on underground energy storage technology, shallow geothermal energy utilization, coupled heat and mass transfer in downhole multiphase media, and technology/equipment for continental ultra-deep scientific drilling.

Organizers

Yang Gao

Yang Gao

Professor, King's College London;
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Zexu Zhang

Zexu Zhang

Professor, Harbin Institute of Technology
Meibao Yao

Meibao Yao

Associate Professor, Jilin University
Xueming Xiao

Xueming Xiao

Associate Professor, Changchun University of Science and Technology

Contact

Dr. Xueming Xiao <alexcapshow@cust.edu.cn>

In Partnership With

IEEE IEEE RAS JFR