IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - March 2013 - 116

RAS-SIGHT Formed
The new IEEE Robotics & Automation Society Special Interest
Group on Humanitarian Technology (RAS-SIGHT) was
approved by the Society's Administrative Committee at the
International Conference on Robotics & Automation in St. Paul,
Minnesota, in May 2012.
In 2011, a new Humanitarian AdHoc Committee was
constituted and charged with a mandate of bringing out a
strategy for humanitarian activities in the IEEE. The IEEE Board
of Directors approved the formation of affinity groups for
humanitarian activities, which have now taken the form of
SIGHTs. In September 2012, the IEEE Humanitarian Ad Hoc
Committee approved the formation of RAS-SIGHT, making RAS
the first IEEE Society to have a SIGHT!
The mission of RAS-SIGHT is to apply robotics & automation
(R&A) technologies for promoting humanitarian causes around
the globe and to leverage existing and emerging technologies
for the benefit of humanity and toward increasing the quality of
life in underserved, underdeveloped areas in collaboration with
existing global communities and organizations.
In the first year, the group will strive to achieve the
following objectives:
* provide a forum to assess the state of the art on how
robotics & automation technology can aid humanitarian
causes
* bring together our Society's members to participate in RASSIGHT activities
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Date of publication: 8 March 2013

* work with students, researchers, developers, and endusers to formulate robotics-oriented humanitarian
competitions, challenges, and educational and cooperative
opportunities.
The first kickoff meeting of RAS-SIGHT took place at the IEEE/
Robotics Society of Japan International Conference on Robots
and Systems held in Vilamoura, Portugal, in October 2012.
A special session, "Robotics & Automation for Humanitarian
Activities," was organized at the Global Humanitarian Technology
Conference held in Seattle, Washington, also in October 2012.
Both of these meetings were well attended. Participants shared
their experiences and had focused discussions on what RASSIGHT could do. There were many interesting ideas on how
robotics & automation technologies could make a significant
difference in elevating quality of life for humanity. As with any
group that is in the early stages of development, getting off the
ground is not always easy. We are currently exploring how we
can target the low-hanging fruit and begin implementing some
of the preliminary ideas ranging from humanitarian challenges
to students working with communities on specific short-term
projects in remote areas.
Participation from anyone who is interested in applying
robotics and automation technologies for humanitarian
causes is welcome. Your valuable input and thoughts are greatly
needed! Please send an e-mail if you are interested in getting
involved in RAS-SIGHT activities to: Raj Madhavan, Chair, RASSIGHT raj.madhavan@ieee.org. More information on RAS-SIGHT
is available at http://theinstitute.ieee.org/benefits/humanitarianefforts/getting-a-handle-on-projects-that-serve-the-underserved.

The African Robotics Network
and the 10 Dollar Robot Design Challenge
By G. Ayorkor Korsah and Ken Goldberg

he African Robotics Network
(AFRON), a community of
institutions, organizations,
and individuals that support
robotics research and education in
Africa, announced the 10 Dollar
Robot Design Challenge in the
summer of 2012.
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Date of publication: 8 March 2013

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IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINE

The competition aimed to encourage new designs for extremely lowcost robots that can be made globally
available to attract primary and secondary-level student interest in engineering. The amount of US$10 was
set as the ideal target cost, but entries
under US$100 were acceptable. Prizes
for up to ten winning designs were
listed, including Raspberry Pi computers and a share of US$3,000 spon-

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sored by the IEEE Robotics &
Automation Society under the IEEE's
Special Interest Group on Humanitarian Technology (SIGHT).
By the deadline of 15 September
2012, 28 highly inventive entries, all
under US$100, were submitted. Six
distinguished international jurors
judged the entries and selected the
ten winners (Table 1) and six honorable mentions.

http://theinstitute.ieee.org/benefits/humanitarian

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - March 2013