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From: fransv@fwi.uva.nl
Subject: [CFP] Uncertainty in Robotics 2nd CFP
X-Organisation: Faculty of Mathematics & Computer Science, University of Amsterdam
Message-ID: <MBOYER.95Jun9185248@amadeus.ireq-robot.hydro.qc.ca>
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Sender: news@ireq.hydro.qc.ca (Netnews Admin)
Organization: La division Robotique de l'Institut de recherche d'Hydro-Quebec
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 1995 22:52:48 GMT
Approved: mboyer@ireq-robot.hydro.qc.ca, crr@ireq-robot.hydro.qc.ca

[ This is being re-posted with the author's authorization. -MB ]

                           SECOND CALL FOR PAPERS


                    REASONING WITH UNCERTAINTY IN ROBOTICS


International workshop
University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
December  4-6, 1995.

AIM: Interaction between research on uncertainty in AI and robotics.


BACKGROUND

In the field of artificial intelligence, a lot of effort is spent on the
problem how to deal with information which is uncertain, incomplete,
inconsistent, or otherwise deficient. This research has led to a large
number of new theories and new techniques. In particular, in the area of
numeric uncertainty, one can mention the certainty factor model,
Dempster-Shafer theory, interval probability theory, probabilistic
networks, probability logic, possibility theory, et cetera. 
        In robotics, uncertainty plays an important role at many levels,
such as image interpretation, sensor fusion, navigation, path planning, and
control. Therefore, this field seems to be particularly well suited to test
and apply the new theories and techniques mentioned above. However,
uncertainty in robotics is typically approached by more or less traditional
statistical methods. On the other hand, research on uncertainty in AI is
rather focused on theoretical work or on applications in the area of
diagnosis.
        The workshop is intended to bring together researchers in the
fields of uncertainty in AI and robotics in order to clarify the relation
between the two research fields, to find out what the research in the two
fields can mean for each other, and to identify the most urgent problems
that have to be attacked.


PROGRAMME

The programme of the workshop includes tutorial lectures, invited talks,
the presentation of accepted papers, and a forum discussion.

1. TUTORIAL LECTURES 
        o tutorial on robotics (Crowley)
        o tutorial on uncertainty in AI (Voorbraak)

2. INVITED TALKS
        o navigation (Elfes)
        o sensor fusion (Durrant-Whyte)
        o map learning (Kaelbling)
        o image interpretation (Hummel)

3. PRESENTATION OF ACCEPTED PAPERS
Papers are welcome in the whole field of reasoning with uncertainty in
robotics, but papers discussing (either abstractly or by means of a
concrete application) the relevance for robotics of the above mentioned AI
approaches to uncertainty are preferred. In the papers, special attention
has to be given to the informal underlying motivations and to the possible
general conclusions that can be drawn from the work reported on. (How
essential is the choice for some particular formalism? What are the
conditions under which the formalism is applicable? On which points is
there still room for improvement? Et cetera.)

Possible topics include:
   o sensor fusion 
        - How to combine several (possibly conflicting) readings of a sensor?
        - How to aggregate evidence obtained from different types of sensors?
   o interpretation of uncertain geometric data
        - How to obtain 3D models from 2D images?
        - How to reduce or eliminate uncertainty in sensor data?
   o map learning
        - How to learn the spatial layout of the environment?
        - How to extract the relevant spatial structure?
   o navigation and path planning under uncertainty
        - How to navigate, given a map of the environment, sensor data,
          and the uncertainty in control?
        - How to navigate with limited prior knowledge of the environment?
   o decision under uncertainty
        - How to decide between action and the reduction of uncertainty?
        - How to formulate a decision theory for resource-bounded agents?

4. FORUM DISCUSSION
"Towards the formulation of benchmark problems in the field of uncertainty
in robotics"
Ideally, the forum discussion will result in the formulation of one or two
benchmark problems that can (and will) be used to compare different
approaches to uncertainty in robotics and to measure progess in the field.
Some relevant questions are
   - What are the bottlenecks for handling uncertainty in robotics?
   - What are the most urgent problems in the field?
   - Which of these problems can be attacked today or in the near future?
   - How can these problems be formulated as benchmark problems?


SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Authors are asked to submit four (4) copies of their papers to the
submission address given below by July 1st, 1995. Papers should have a
front page containing: title, name, full address, email address and fax #
(if available) for all authors, a list of keywords identifying the subject
area of the paper, and a 100-200 word abstract. Papers should be a maximum
of 15 pages (excluding front page) and printed on A4 paper in 12 point type
with a maximum of 38 lines per page and 75 characters per line
(corresponding to LaTeX article style, 12 pt). Submission of hard copies is
strongly preferred. Electronic submission is acceptable, provided standard
LaTeX is used. 
Notification of acceptance/rejection will be mailed to the first (or
designated) author of each paper by September 1st, 1995. Accepted papers
will be included in the informal proceedings distributed at the workshop.
Accepted papers must be presented at the workshop, in English, by one of
the authors. A commercial publisher is contacted to publish the final
versions of the presented papers, which are due at February 1st, 1996, so
they can benefit from the interaction at the workshop.


ATTENDANCE

The workshop will be limited to at most hundred participants. The
registration fee is Dfl 400 for early registration (before November 1st,
1995) and Dfl 500 for late registration. The registration fee includes
lunches, refreshments, conference dinner, and workshop proceedings. A
limited budget will be available for the support of participants which are
faced with financial problems such as serious difficulties with exchanging
currency. The workshop will take place in Amsterdam, close to the city
center. Detailed registration information will be available no later than
July 1995. One can consult the following WWW address:

http://www.fwi.uva.nl/fwi/research/vg2/illc/rur95.html. 

If you are interested in attending, please send an email to rur@fwi.uva.nl,
then you will be kept informed automatically. You will also receive
automatically a registration form.


TIMETABLE

- submission deadline: July 1st, 1995
- notification of acceptance/rejection: September 1st, 1995
- deadline for early registration: November 1st, 1995
- workshop: December 4-6, 1995
- final version of papers: February 1st, 1996


ACCOMODATION

Hotels
For those who would like to reserve a hotel through us we have  contacted a
hotel group which has offered special prices to participants of the
RUR-workshop. If you choose this hotel, we will make the reservation for
you. The prices are for lodging only and include tax.
AMS Hotel
This hotel is a nice three star hotel. It is located in the center of the
city, very near all the museums with excellent public transportation
facilities.

Prices in DFL:

 - Single room 115,- per night
 - Double room 160,- per night


REGISTRATION FEES

Dfl 400 for early registration (before November 1st, 1995) and Dfl 500 for
late registration

PAYMENT

Information on how to pay will be sent to you by surface mail, just sent an
e-mail stating your name and address to rur@fwi.uva.nl or a letter to our
Bureau: 

RUR
Marco W. de Vries
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
University of Amsterdam
Plantage Muidergracht 24
1018 TV Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 20 525 6051
Fax: +31 20 525 5206
Email: rur@fwi.uva.nl

stating that you are interested in participating in our workshop and you
will automatically receive a registration/invoice form.


GENERAL INFORMATION

SUBMISSION ADDRESS
Michiel van Lambalgen
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Amsterdam
Plantage Muidergracht 24, 1018 TV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Tel: +31 20 525 6060, Fax: +31 20 525 5206, Email: rur@fwi.uva.nl

PROGRAMME COMMITTEE
James L. Crowley (IMAG-LIFIA, Grenoble, France)
Leo Dorst (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
Hugh Durrant-Whyte (University of Sydney, Australia.)
Alberto Elfes (Automation and Software Systems Institute, Campinas, Brazil)
Robert Hummel (Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York, USA)
Leslie Pack Kaelbling (Brown University, Providence, USA)
Michiel van Lambalgen (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
Frans Voorbraak (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

PROGRAMME CHAIR
Frans Groen (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Leo Dorst, Michiel van Lambalgen, and Frans Voorbraak
(University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

LOCAL ARRANGEMENTS
Marco de Vries 
Plantage Muidergracht 24, 1018 TV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Tel: +31 20 525 6051, Fax: +31 20 525 5206, Email: rur@fwi.uva.nl

SPONSORED BY
PIONIER project Reasoning with Uncertainty, of the Netherlands Organization
for Scientific Research (NWO) 
Advanced School for Computing and Imaging (ASCI)
Institute for Logic, Language, and Computation (ILLC)

SUPPORTED BY
Intelligent Autonomous Systems (IAS Society)


--
 *********************** (moderated) ***************************
 Submissions:                 Meta-discussions/information:
 crr@ireq-robot.hydro.qc.ca   crr-request@ireq-robot.hydro.qc.ca
