IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015 - 16

time, service and rehabilitation robots are
also attracting attention from the government and the industry since the aging
population is becoming a serious issue in
China. The continuing policy and funding support from the government would
exert a profound influence on the
improvement of science, technology and
manufacturing level of robotics, and
automation. The reform of the scientific
research system and intellectual property
system will be helpful to attract top talent
to this area and in conducting innovation.
It may also narrow the gap between laboratories and the market and promote
technology transfer.
Robotics Research Institutes
and Academic Activities
In China, most of the studies on robotics
are conducted in colleges and institutes,
such as the Shenyang Institute of Automation (SIA), the Institute of Automation of the CAS (CASIA), the Robotic
Institute of Beihang University, the
Robot Research Institute of Beijing Institute of Technology, the State Key Lab of
Robotics, and the System of Harbin
Institute of Technology. Among those,
SIA runs the largest robot company in
China; CASIA is focused on the research
and development of a brain-like intelligent robot; universities, such as Beihang
University and Birla Institute of Technology, are interested in the discovery of
service robots and surgical robots.
To date, there are only a few academic
conferences in China with robotics as the
main topic, and the lack of robotics conferences has been a topic of discussion. As
a developer of robotic research and innovation, there should and could be more
international and domestic conferences
held in and by China, and local governments of China and various robot groups
have shown their interest in preparing
and arranging such activities.
Meanwhile, there are some conferences in the area of automation, such as
the World Congress on Intelligent Control and Automation, the Chinese Control Conference, and the Chinese
Control and Decision Conference. These
conferences are all held in China and
steadily gaining influence in the world.
They provide a forum for scientists, engi16

IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINE

neers, and practitioners throughout the
world to present their latest theoretical
results and techniques in the fields of systems, intelligent control, automation,
robotics, and so on. In recent years, all of
the conference proceedings have been
selected for coverage in the Index to Scientific and Technical Proceedings and
cited by Engineering Index.
It should be noted that the influence of
Chinese researchers is rising in the IEEE
Robotics and Automation Society (RAS).
In 2014, the first researcher from mainland China participated in the IEEE RAS
Administrative Committee. We would
not be surprised to witness this trend continue as China's innovative research on
robotics and automation grows.
Education and Courses
in Robotics
Today in China, various levels of educational institutions offer courses on
robotics and related areas, including
basic education, tertiary education, and
vocational education.
Lessons on robotics in primary and
secondary schools are mainly offered in
developed regions and cities and focus
on cultivating the students' interest
about robots. Some toy robots are used
in these lessons, e.g., Lego Mindstorms,
to build creative designs or inventions.
Courses on robotics in college and
universities aim at senior undergraduates and postgraduates; the content of
the courses covers kinematics, dynamics, robot vision, intelligent control,
motion planning, and so on. The courses are theoretical, and students may not
have a chance to operate a real robot.
Vocational schools are also highly
involved. With the expansion of the
application scope of robots in China, a
large quantity of operators, maintenance engineers, and design engineers
is required to satisfy the diversified
requirements of enterprises. Driven by
the rising demands from industry,
many vocational schools are setting up
courses on the operation and program
design of the industrial robot. Meanwhile, with funding support from companies, training textbooks on how to
program and operate an industrial
robot are in preparation.

September 2015

Public Competition
and Activities
To popularize the science of robotics
and arouse public interest, especially
with youngsters, there are several competitions, including RoboCon, RoboCup, and the Smart Car Competition.
The competitions are all robot themed,
and the contestants are required to build
a certain type of specialized robot to finish a task, such as speed racing or object
grasping. Because of the enjoyment and
entertainment of these activities, these
competitions usually attract a large
quantity of Chinese college students.
Usually contestants have three to
six months to prepare for the competition. To build the robots, they must
possess knowledge of programming,
mechanical design, and electronic circuit design. Sometimes they have to
work through the night to catch up
with the schedule.
The contestants face fierce competition in the game. There is sometimes
only a 0.1-s difference between the
winner and the loser. They work very
hard to get a good prize, and the experience will help them in their future
careers. Other activities, such as campus open houses, may also help the
public get access to the top advanced
robotic technologies. The competitions
and activities for the public lay the
foundation of young robotic talents for
the next generation and improve public
understanding of scientific policies.
Conclusion
China is upgrading its economy, especially the manufacturing industry. The
robot industry is playing a key role in
this significant period. All levels of
government and private capitals are
paying close attention to the development of this field. The urgent need for
more advanced and intelligent robots
is a challenge for robotic research but
also draws stronger support for
researchers. The Chinese robotics and
automation community will be more
influential and international. We
would like to conclude that the future
of robotics and automation in China
will be more active, more competitive,
and more innovative.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - September 2015