🚀 go-pugleaf

Included below is a call for papers for an IJCAI workshop on multiple
interacting robots.  Please feel free to forward it to appropriate
people or bulletin boards.  The deadline has been moved from February
26th to March 1st.  Otherwise, the call for papers is unchanged from
previous postings.  Hope to see you at the workshop!

				 - Keiji Kanazawa


                            Call for Papers

                    Dynamically Interacting Robots

                           IJCAI-93 Workshop
                           Chambery,  France
                            August 28, 1993

This one-day workshop brings together researchers interested in the
issues and challenges in controlling multiple interacting robots.  Our
goal is to illuminate issues in dynamic situated agency arising from
the interaction of multiple agents.  The technology for experimentation
with robot societies is rapidly becoming available; the workshop
provides an opportunity to identify key issues, vocabulary, and
directions for future research.

The focus of the workshop is experimental work.  We hope to assess
theories for controlling multiple interacting robots, and to share
experiences in implementing robot societies.  The dynamics inherent in
multi-robot domains, coupled with the opportunities for reasoning about
the possible actions of other robots, leads to new theories for control
and planning in multiple robot systems.  We welcome perspectives for
controlling robot societies at the individual and group level.  The
robot societies may be engaged in cooperative, competitive, or
individual activities, or combinations thereof.

The workshop provides a forum for discussions of the special challenges
involved with the control of a group of robots in real-time, especially
in the context of advances made in distributed AI, theories of situated
activity, robot control, decision theoretic methods, and adaptive
behavior.  One of our aims is to identify clearly the issues involved
in robot societies, and how they might distinguish this research
program from distributed AI in general.


* Issues of Interest 

     Implemented Systems:   Descriptions of and lessons from
implemented systems.  Which issues arise from the group dynamics as
opposed to implementational concerns?

     Languages/Architectures:   What kind of languages are needed
for describing group level behavior, including group dynamics and task
description?  Can we extend existing languages such as GAPPS or the
subsumption architecture for robust control of a collection?

     Domains:   What are good and bad domains for studying interacting
robots?  What is and isn't ``cheating''?  Is central control to be
frowned on?  Does communication have to be direct, or can it be
mediated?  Is simulating some sensing and communication acceptable?

     Active Perception:   Do different sensory requirements arise
in collective robotics?  How does sensing ability influence group
dynamics and vice versa?

     Planning:   To what extent should robots that could potentially
interact plan their actions and interactions?  When is planning
a particularly good, or bad, idea?  What forms should plans take,
and what algorithms lead to those forms of plans?

     Communication:   What is the role of communication in
interacting robots?  What are appropriate forms of communication?

     Modeling:   How should robots model each other in their
domain?  How are such models constructed and used?

     Learning:   How can we exploit group dynamics and interaction
in learning?  Does cooperation or competition enhance or inhibit
learning?


Those wishing to present their work should submit 5 copies of a short
paper (approximately 5 pages) as well as a one-page statement of
research interests and bibliography.  Those wishing to participate only
should submit 5 copies of a one-page research statement and
bibliography.  All submissions should include an e-mail address, a
telephone number, and a mailing address.  Prospective participants are
encouraged to contact members of the program committee with any
questions or comments.

Submissions should be sent to arrive by March 1, 1993 to:

Keiji Kanazawa 
Department of Computer Science 
University of British Columbia 
333 - 6356 Agricultural Road 
Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6T 1Z2
+1-604-822-3061 (tel)

The notification date for acceptances is April 1, 1993.  The deadline
for final manuscripts for inclusion into working notes will be June 1,
1993.

* Conference Registration 

Registration for the main conference of IJCAI-93 is required to
participate in a workshop.  The registration fee for each workshop is
300FF (about US $60).  Information about IJCAI-93 can be obtained from
the IJCAI mail server ijcai-serv@imag.fr with message body "send
General-infos".

* Program Committee 

Ronald C. Arkin   (arkin@cc.gatech.edu)
Rodney A. Brooks  (brooks@ai.mit.edu)
Edmund Durfee     (durfee@engin.umich.edu)
John Hallam       (john@aifh.ed.ac.uk)
Keiji Kanazawa    (kanazawa@cs.ubc.ca)