IROS 2003, Las Vegas: Open Forum

IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Steering Committee on New

Publications:

IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering

Srinivas Akella, Ken Goldberg (Chair), Bill Hamel, Hideki Hashimoto, Katsushi Ikeuchi, Vijay Kumar, Kok Meng Lee, Peter Luh (EIC, T-RA), Kimon Valavanis, Dick Volz (past T-RA EIC & VP for Pubs), Michael

Yu Wang, and Mengchu Zhou

Time Activity

1:00-2:00 Introductions Motivation and History behind T-ASE, Status Quo, Q&A

2:00-3:00 Automation Science and Engineering Research Snapshots New Problems/Technologies/Application Areas

3:00-4:00 Breakout Sessions: Open Research Problems / Ideas for T-ASE Special Issues

4:00-5:00 Reports from Breakout Sessions Open Discussion, Future Plans

5:00 Adjourn

Engineers strive to combine automated devices with mathematical and organizational tools to create complex systems for a rapidly expanding range of applications and human activities.

Automation

Automation Science and Engineering:

the abstractions, algorithms, theory, methodologies, models, systems, and case studies that can be applied across industries to significantly advance efficiency, quality, productivity, and reliability for society.

New Applications Areas*:

• Biotechnology and Health• Food Handling and Processing• Service Industries• Transportation, Security, and Maintenance

* In addition to traditional broad ranging manufacturing areas.

IEEE Robotics and Automation Society

Asimov Engelberger

Robotics emphasizes intelligent machines and systems for unstructured environments where a significant portion of the environment is either not known or cannot be directly sensed, and often cannot be controlled.

Automation emphasizes scientific methods and technology that improve efficiency, productivity, quality, and reliability, specifically for machines and systems operating in structured environments over long periods, and the explicit structuring of environments.

IEEE Robotics and Automation Society

Background

IEEE Transactions on Robotics and Automation (T-RA)

• Established in 1984, published bi-monthly

• Approx 100 papers annually, growing steadily

• Top cited Robotics publication• Far less impact in Automation

• A detailed analysis of competing journals reveals that Automation lacks a flagship journal

• Expanding the existing T-RA will not solve the problem :

• Leading Automation Researchers consider T-RA a Robotics publication and will not submit their best work there

• To attract leading researchers and subscribers from a broad range of industries:

• A major archival journal devoted to Automation is needed.

Solution Expand T-RA into two publications:

IEEE Transactions on Robotics (T-RO)

IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering (T-ASE)

“A timely and important investment in the future of the RAS and the IEEE.”

T-ASE will emphasize high-quality and significant results, publishing rigorous and visionary papers that explore a range of analytic methodologies relevant to a broad scope of applications.

Goal:Establish T-ASE as the top cited periodical devoted to Automation, building its reputation on our long-standing tradition of peer review of the highest caliber.

Effect on T-RO?

The number of Robotics submissions to T-RA has been growing steadily, we are confident that the creation of T-ASE will not cause any reduction in T-RO. Rather, the quality and quantity of papers in T-RO shall continue to increase.

T-RA Submissions

YearSubmissions1996 2681997 2891998 2971999 3002000 3432001 4122002 440

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Ongoing and fruitful cross-fertilization between Robotics and Automation will motivate current members of IEEE RAS to subscribe to both publications (substantiated by society survey).

A flagship journal devoted to Automation will also attract many non-IEEE researchers and subscribers from industry and academia (substantiated by informal survey of leading researchers).

Impact on other IEEE Societies

Eight related IEEE Societies were sent drafts of the proposal and several constructive suggestions were offered and incorporated.

No objections were received.

Two Societies, Industrial Applications (IAS) and Systems, Man and Cybernetics (SMC), accepted our invitation to become technical co-sponsors and have signed appropriate agreements.

The T-ASE Steering Committee is composed of eighteen established researchers in Automation, including the current and past Editors-in-Chief of the T-RA.

Peter Luh, first T-ASE Editor-in-Chief EstablishedT-ASE Editorial Board

May 2002: T-ASE Proposal unanimously approved by:– RAS Publications Activities Board– RAS Officers and TRA Editorial Board– RAS AdCom

Created T-ASE Advisory Board, with leaders from inside and outside IEEE

February 2003: IEEE Approves T-ASE

T-ASE Advisory Board: Ken Goldberg, Chair, UC BerkeleyBrian Carlisle, Adept TechnologyDavid Dornfeld, UC BerkeleyLarry Ho, Harvard UniversityStephen Holland, General MotorsTakeo Kanade, CMUShiv Kapoor, UIUCYoram Koren, U MichiganPeter Luh, T-ASE EIC, UConn, (ex officio) Mamoru Mitsuishi, University of TokyoGeorge Shanthikumar, UC BerkeleyWarren Seering, MITRussell Taylor, Johns HopkinsMasayoshi Tomizuka, UC BerkeleyHendrik Van Brussel, Katholieke UniversityRichard Volz, RAS VP Publications, Texas A&M (ex officio)Peter Will, USCCheng Wu, Tsinghua University

T-ASE Editorial Board: Peter Luh, EIC, ECS, U. Connecticut, USA 

Placid Ferreira, Flexible Automation Processes, ME/IE, UIUCDeirdre Meldrum, Biotechnology and Healthcare, U. of Washington, N. Viswanadham, Systems and Networks, National U. of SingaporeMichael Wang, Design, Manufacturing and Pharmaceutical, Chinese

U. HKSrinivas Akella, AE, CS, RPI, USAHisayuki Aoyama, ME & IS, University of Electro-Communications,

JapanSaif Benjaafar, ME, University of MinnesotaKarl Böhringer, EE, University of WashingtonDarek Ceglarek, IE, The University of Wisconsin-MadisonByoung Kyu Choi, IE, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and

TechnologyHan Ding, Robotics Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University, ChinaJerry Fuh, ME, National University of SingaporeHarold Garner, U. of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterHan-Pang Huang, ME, National Taiwan University

T-ASE Start-Up Plan

•Phase in T-ASE over two years, with 1st issue in July 2004.

•Create Editorial and Advisory Boards•T-ASE CFP•Promotion Plan (5000 poster/flyers)•Invite leading researchers in Automation to submit exemplary work to the initial issues.

•Build T-ASE into a major archival journal.

Summary:Rationale for T-ASE

• Automation is a vital topic for the 21st century• New Applications and Methods are appearing• Automation is central to the IEEE RA Society• The T-RA emphasizes Robotics• Automation lacks a flagship journal• IEEE T-ASE would galvanize the field• Attract leading researchers from Automation• Attract new readers from industry and

academia• Technical co-sponsorship with other societies• Editorial and Advisory Boards identified

Scope ofT-ASE  The IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering (T-ASE) publishes fundamental papers on Automation, emphasizing scientific results that advance efficiency, quality, productivity, and reliability. T-ASE encourages interdisciplinary approaches from computer science, control systems, electrical engineering, mathematics, mechanical engineering, operations research, and other fields. We welcome results relevant to industries such as agriculture, biotechnology, healthcare, home automation, maintenance, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, retail, security, service, supply chains, and transportation. T-ASE addresses a research community willing to integrate knowledge across disciplines and industries. For this purpose, each paper shall include a Note to Practitioners that summarizes how its results can be applied or how they might be extended to apply in practice.

Scope of T-RO  The IEEE Transactions on Robotics (T-RO) publishes fundamental papers on all aspects of Robotics, featuring interdisciplinary approaches from computer science, control systems, electrical engineering, mathematics, mechanical engineering, and other fields. Robots and intelligent machines and systems are critical in areas such as industrial applications; service and personal assistants; surgical operations; space, underwater, and remote exploration; entertainment; safety, search, and rescue; military applications; agriculture applications; and intelligent vehicles. Special emphasis in the T-RO is placed on intelligent machines and systems for unstructured environments, where a significant portion of the environment is unknown and cannot be directly sensed or controlled.

www.ieee.org/t-ase/