The 9th Soft Robotics Conference--Basic Theory and Key Technology Seminar and the Soft Robots Innovation Design Competition Was Held
From November 15 to 17, 2024, the 9th Soft Robotics Conference--Basic Theory and Key Technology Seminar and Soft Robots Innovation Design Competition took place at Tsinghua University. Organized by the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Tsinghua University, and co-organized by multiple prestigious institutions, including Tsinghua University Press(TUP), School of Aerospace Engineering at Tsinghua University, the Institute of Automation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems of Chinese Academy of Sciences, this conference gathered more than 500 experts, scholars, students and industry representatives from more than 170 well-known universities and research institutes worldwide.
The opening ceremony was presided by Dr. ZHAO Huichan, Associate Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University. Welcoming addresses were delivered by Professor LIU Xinjun, Professor XIONG Zhuo, and ZHUANG Hongquan, Deputy Director of TUP.
In his address, ZHUANG outlined TUP‘s contributions to serving national major strategic needs and advancing international academic frontiers. He highlighted the press’s collaborations with institutions like the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Tsinghua University, focusing on production, education, research, and application. ZHUANG emphasized that TUP will continue to broaden its cooperative networks, partnering with more universities, research institutions, and enterprises to promote academic exchanges and drive industrial development in the field of robotics.
The conference focused on the theme of "soft robotics", featuring an innovation design competition, 8 keynote speeches, 6 specialized forums, 102 invited presentations, and 15 entrepreneurial project showcases. Nearly 60 teams participated in the competition, which was structured into four distinct tracks. The event facilitated in-depth interdisciplinary discussions on soft robotics, encompassing areas such as mechanics, materials, chemistry, automation, computer science, and medicine. The goal was to advance soft robotics technology through robust communication and collaborative innovation, open up new technological avenues for solving real-world problems, and generate cutting-edge research outcomes.