September 11, 2023
XJTLU Entrepreneur College (Taicang) held its first International Conference on Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics (ICiMR) last month. This conference was jointly organised by the School of Intelligent Manufacturing Ecosystem and the School of Robotics at the College, with the support of the Institution of Engineering and Technology in the UK and the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The conference aimed to provide a platform for scholars and other stakeholders in intelligent manufacturing and robotics to discuss the latest research findings in the field.
Why intelligent manufacturing?
Professor Eng Hwa Yap, Dean of the School of Intelligent Manufacturing Ecosystem and the School of Robotics at XJTLU, says the conference marks a significant milestone for China in the reform of intelligent manufacturing and robotics technology. It also represents an exploration into the development of Industry 5.0.
“Industry 5.0 is about merging the technological capabilities of automation and artificial intelligence with the unique creativity, empathy, and ethical thinking of humans,” Professor Yap says. “I hope this conference can serve as a crucible for differing viewpoints and a gathering place for diverse thinking. Together, we can discuss, shape, and even challenge the future trends in this field.”
Professor Eng Hwa Yap delivers the opening remarks for the ICiMR
In his keynote speech, Dr Guibin Bian from the Chinese Academy of Sciences shared trends and applications for intelligent robotics in microsurgery.
He said: “The development of intelligent manufacturing and robotics technology has fundamentally revolutionised several industries. It has improved production processes, enhanced efficiency and productivity, elevated manufacturing quality and contributed to progress in fields such as healthcare, transportation and entertainment.
“Collaborative robots working alongside humans will become more common and enhance productivity and safety. Advances in human-machine interaction, such as natural language processing and gesture recognition, will make robots more intuitive and user-friendly.”
Dr Guibin Bian gives a keynote speech
Network of knowledge
In his speech, Associate Professor Yongbo Li from Northwestern Polytechnical University spoke on theories related to automated condition monitoring for rotating machinery, which is crucial in his field of aeronautics. He says the event allowed him to expand his knowledge.
In addition to scholars from China, the conference featured participants from Malaysia, South Korea and Japan.
Professor Nagata Fusaomi from Sanyo-Onada City University in Japan talked about industrial robot interfaces, while Professor Hyun Myung from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology in South Korea shared research about using spatial AI for autonomous robot navigation.
Professor Hazlina Selamat from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia spoke about the human side of technology – transforming the workforce through education and training.
Professor Hazlina Selamat
Dr Bian encouraged more scholars and stakeholders to participate in future ICiMR events. He says: “At the conference, we can learn about the latest trends in industry development, share our own research progress with international experts face-to-face, and even have the opportunity to collaborate on research projects.”
The event also featured several parallel sessions where more than 50 researchers and academics presented their papers, both online and in person.
By Yiyan Xu and Haolun Xu
Edited by Patricia Pieterse
September 11, 2023