Best Robotic Events of 2018 That You Won't Want to Miss

2018 is shaping up to be a great year for the robotics research and business communities.

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The year has been jam-packed with international events, conferences, summits, and more on the topics of robotics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and industrial automation.

Whether you're a robo-hobbyist looking to compete against peers and learn more in the field, or if you're seeking to understand how automation could affect your business, these events are not to be missed.

With events taking place all over the globe, you're sure to find one close to you.

Here's just a small selection of the best robotic events in 2018.

The RoboBusiness Conference

Organized by the Robotics Business Review, the RoboBusiness Conference takes place this September from the 25th - 27th in Santa Clara, California. The event is one of the most multi-faceted conferences in the robotics industry, encapsulating development, warehouse and manufacturing applications, investment, and more.

The conference attracts over 2,000 professionals from the robotics industry annually, and 2018 looks to be no exception. This year's event includes a supplier and tech forum, a robo industry business summit, a Chief Robotics Officer summit, and a robotic design and engineering forum.

The SRS Robothon

Seattle's SRS Robothon has become something of an institution for robot hobbyists and enthusiasts along the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Organized by the Seattle Robotics Society, the free event is open to visitors of all ages and takes place on October 8th in the Seattle Center.

The event is comprised of multiple competitive robotic events, including combat, line following, walking and more. The event is an absolute must for amateur developers and engineers looking to learn, network, and share in their love of robotics with others from their community.

The International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems

Scheduled for October 1st this year, and running until the 5th, the International Conference on Intelligent Robots in Madrid, Spain is the biggest international event of its kind for researchers, end-users, and companies involved in the development and utilization of intelligent robots. Very much on the cutting edge of robotic technologies, the event is comprised of papers, talks, and keynote presentations.

2018's theme is "Towards a Robotic Society" and focuses on both the technological innovations themselves, and the possible legal, ethical, and regulation issues surrounding the widespread implementation of robots. Attendance at the event is expected to reach 3,000, and the conference is a must-visit for those interested in the academic side of robotic research, as well as those working with robots on a practical level.

The World Robot Summit

This year's World Robot Summit is set to take place in Tokyo, Japan during Japan Robot Week, spanning from October 17th until the 21st. The summit will comprise of exhibitions and competitions, showcasing the latest in robot technologies.

As part of the summit, there will be a vast competition, called the World Robot Challenge, which judges machines across various categories. These categories include industrial robots, service robots, and disaster relief robots. The event will also include talks and forums from key industry leaders and government officials.

Minds Mastering Machines

If you missed the Minds Mastering Machines Conference (often referred to as M3, or MCubed) in Cologne, Germany in April of this year - worry not! The conference will be returning to London, England from October 15th-17th, following last year's successful London event.

The event is focused primarily on machine learning and artificial intelligence, and how the developing technologies can be integrated into current business systems. The conference will comprise of talks, keynote presentations by researchers and industry professionals, and day-long workshops. 

March of the Bots 2018

Following popular past events like Rise of the Bots, and Return of the Bots, March of the Bots is set to hit London on November 23rd. Hosted by UKAuthority, the event is free to members of the public sector.

The event will see leaders from the NHS, government, and other public sectors speak on their goals and ambitions in incorporating robotics into the public sphere. Additionally, it will give a platform to leaders working within the robotics industry to discuss how their technologies can make these goals a reality.

Exponential 18: The 2018 NAO Robot User and Developer Congress

The city of Boston is set to become the location for the third annual NAO robot user and developer congress, entitled Exponential 18. The congress will see industry figures from India, Japan, Brazil, Germany and more represented. 

The event runs from November 1st until the 3rd, and will feature presentations and workshops based on the capabilities of NAO, the humanoid robot by SoftBank Robotics. Additionally, the event will also feature Pepper the robot as a special guest.

CHIRA 2018

CHIRA 2018, or the International Conference on Computer-Human Interaction Research and Applications, is the second conference of its kind. It's set to take place from September 19th until the 21st in Seville, Spain.

The event takes an academic approach to the topic of robotics, and will see researchers and professors from all over the world present papers on areas such as interactive design, adaptive and intelligent systems, and human factors and information systems. There will also be keynote lectures, and awards for the best papers presented.

The International Conference on Mechatronics and Robotics

Held in Helsinki, Finland from October 15th until the 16th, the International Conference on Mechatronics and Robotics is open to students, researchers, developers, and experts in the fields of robotics and mechatronics. This year the conference's theme is "Unfolding Knowledge with a Delineate Technical World", and will focus on the use of robotics across various industries and applications.

The event aims to connect experts and students from the fields of engineering, robotics, physics, computer science and more, to better understand future developments in robotics research and the potential issues and solutions that may arise.

The Robotics and Automation Exhibition

The UK's only Robotics and Automation exhibition is scheduled for the 10th and 11th of October, and will take place in Arena MK, Milton Keynes. The exhibition will be displaying the latest technologies in industrial robotics and automation, allowing visitors to discover how incorporating robots into their businesses could benefit them.

The event will comprise of live demonstrations of the technologies on exhibition, as well as informative and educational seminars. Visitor passes are free of charge, making the event unmissable for anyone looking to learn more about the future of automation in their industry.