Unlike academic
conferences such as ICRA or IROS, the Robots and Vision Show
is a trade event that this year attracted approximately
5,000 attendees from industry. It was sponsored by the
Robotic Industries Association (RIA), the
Automated Imaging
Association (AIA), and the
Motion Control Association (MCA).
The show floor included
dramatic exhibits from 119 industrial robot manufacturers and 90 machine vision
firms. There were also a dozen motion control
booths and a small handful of mobile robots on display.
In addition to the show floor, the
program also included all-day tutorials on the practical
aspects of industrial robots and machine vision systems that
were presented by highly qualified industry experts.
The prestigious
Engelberger Robotics Awards were presented at the
conference banquet. This year Joe Engelberger, 81, who
was unable to attend, took the opportunity
in a prerecorded video address to stress his belief in the
need for robots to assist the elderly.
The banquet also honored RIA founder
Don Vincent, who is retiring.
Nelson Bridwell
Mirage Robotics LLC |
