Industry Leading Robotics Vendors, Associations and Media Firms Sponsor Emerging Robotics Technologies & Applications Conference

iRobot, Evolution Robotics, VIA Technologies, Robotics Foundry and Others Sponsor First Robotics Conference to Focus on Commercialization of Emerging Robotics Markets

(PRWEB) December 12, 2003--Robotics Trends, Inc., based in Westborough, MA, today announced that a number of industry leading robotics manufacturers, software companies, associations and media firms are sponsoring the "Emerging Robotics Technologies & Applications Conference: New Business & Product Opportunities in Personal, Service & Mobile Robotics" (http://www.roboticstrends.com/events). The conference is scheduled for March 9-10, 2004 at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge.

According to Dan Kara, conference chairman and president of Robotics Trends, Inc. We are pleased to announce that iRobot, Evolution Robotics, VIA Technologies, CoroWare and other leading industry association and media sponsors including Robotics Foundry, Servo Magazine, Boston Entrepreneurs' Network, Circuit Cellar and Software Magazine, are working together with Robotics Trends to develop the first world class conference focused on the commercialization and business potential of emerging robotics technologies. The Emerging Robotics Technologies & Applications Conference is the first industry event dedicated to the commercial application of mobile robots and emerging robotics technology to develop entirely new markets and product categories, open additional lines of business, enhance existing product lines and increase business productivity. The Emerging Robotics Technologies and Application Conference brings robotics technology out of the lab and into the open market, focusing on the business and product side of the mobile robotics business."

Leading the world class conference program will be conference keynote, Dr. Rodney Brooks, Director, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Chairman iRobot. Additional keynotes and speakers include:

• Dr. Paolo Pirjanian, Chief Scientist, Evolution Robotics,

• Dan Kara, President, Robotics Trends, Inc.,

• Dr. Chuck Thorpe, Director, Robotics Institute, Carnegie-Mellon University,

• Dr. Regis Vincent, PhD, SRI International,

• Richard M. Mahoney, Ph.D., Director of Business Development, Advanced Rehabilitation Technologies,

• Jeanne Dietsch, CEO, ActivMedia Robotics,

• Kishore Rao, Senior Associate, Trident Capital and

• Omead Amidi, Senior Systems Scientist, Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute.

Updated conference program information is available on the conference website at http://www.roboticstrends.com/events.

iRobot Corporation

iRobot Corporation was founded in 1990 to meet the market demand for research robots. By 1992, however, robotic research extended beyond university classrooms. iRobot won many U.S government contracts and worked with Hasbro making inexpensive toys, thus refining technology and manufacturing processes. These competencies lead to PackBot, a robot currently in use in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2002, the first mass-market consumer robot, Roomba Floorvac, hit retail shelves around the U.S. Today, iRobot continues innovation of practical, reliable robots that save time, money, and human lives. For more information see www.irobot.com.

Evolution Robotics

Evolution Robotics provides state-of-the-art robotics solutions to OEMs who wish to create mobile robots or embed robotics functionality into products. The Evolution Robotics Software Platform (ERSP) is made up of a robotics software architecture, core robotics functionality modules, and application development tools, all with powerful, new breakthrough technologies for vision and navigation. Using ERSP, OEMs can develop advanced robotic products and bring them to market in less time and at lower cost. Some of Evolution Robotics initial customers for ERSP include Sony Corp. and Bandai Inc. For more information see http://www.evolutionrobotics.com.

VIA Technologies, Inc.

VIA Technologies, Inc. is a leading innovator and developer of PC core logic chipsets, microprocessors, and multimedia and communications chips. VIA delivers value to the PC industry by designing, marketing, and selling high-performance discrete and integrated core logic chipsets for the full range of PC platforms, as well as power efficient VIA C3 processors. The VIA Robotics Initiative is part of a greater effort in 2003 for VIA to participate within the robotics community, and to explore innovative new applications for VIA's "Total Connectivity" vision. For more information see http://www.via.com.tw.

Robotics Foundry

Founded in April 2003, the Robotics Foundry is an independent, non-profit economic development organization that directs programs and initiatives intended to accelerate the growth of Agile Robotics Technologies and to establish a significant industry cluster in the newly designated "RoboCorridor," encompassing western Pennsylvania. For more information see http://www.roboticsfoundry.org.

Robotics Trends, Inc.

Robotics Trends is the worlds first integrated media firm serving the burgeoning personal, service and mobile robotics marketplace, servicing their clientele through four major business divisions:

• Publishing and Online Media

• Tradeshows and Conferences

• Market Intelligence and Analyst Services

• Marketing and Media Services

For information about attending the conference, please go to http://www.roboticstrends.com/events or email info@roboticstrends.com. For information about sponsoring or exhibiting at the conference, please email Howard Weinman, Vice President of Sales and Business Development at hw@roboticstrends.com or call (508) 366-6678 x103.

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